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TH E 



BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



OF ITS EAtlLY SETTLEMEBT. 



COLLECTED FROM THE JIEMORIES OF ITS EARLIEST SETTLERS, NOW LIVING. ANB 
VERIFIED BY REFEREXCE TO OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. 



/ 



BY JAMES J. HOGABOAM. 



lOQ'sl^^ 



HUDSON, MICH. 

JAS. M. SCARKITT, PUBLISHER, 
1876. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 

JAS. J. IIOGABOAM, 
In tlie office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



:\^ 



PHnted at the Hudson Post Steam Printing Office. 



TO THE PIONEERS 

OF THE 

BEAN CREEK COUNTRY, 

AND 

TO THEIR CHILDREN, 

'THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 



INTRODUCTION. 

By the teriE;, " Bean Creek Country," would ordinarily be understood tiie country 
Irained by the Bean and its tributaries. Bean creek, or Tiffin river, as it is called on 
the early maps, rises in Devil's lake, situate on sections two, three, foin-, nine and ten 
in the township of RoUin, and sections thirty-foiu' and twenty-seven in the township 
of "Woodstock, said townships being the two most northerly townships in the west 
tier of Lenawee county. The creek flows from the western extremity of the lake, ou 
M'ction four in Eollin, a little north of west, to the east and west quarter line of see- 
ion thirty-two in Woodstock, bends southward, flows through the western part of 
U'ollin and along the west line of Hudson, leaves the county on section thirty, makes 
a bend on sections twenty-five and twenty-six in the township of Pittsford, Hillsdale 
■ 'ounty, returns to Lenawee county at the northwest corner of section thirty-six, flows 
southeasterly across the southwest part of Hudson, northeast corner of JMedina, and 
southwest corner of Seneca township, crosses into tlie State of Ohio near the south- 
^"ast corner of section six, township nine south of range one east, and then taking a 
southwesterly course, empties into the ISIaiunee river at Defiance. 

Only that part of the Bean Valley situate north of the south line of Jlichigan is to 
')e treated of in these sketches. That part of the valley is (piite narrow, but embraces 
jiortions of two counties, Hillsdale and Lenawee. The. tow^nship of Woodstock 
•ontributes the most of her waters to swell the Raisin; Somerset divides hers 
between the Kalamazoo, the Raisin and the Bean; the western borders of Wheatland 
drain into the St. Joseph, of Lake Michigan, and the eastern borders of Rollin into 
the Raisin ; Pittsford and Wright divide their waters between the Bean and the St. 
Joseph of theMaumee; Seneca divides between the Bean and the Raisin, and even. 
Hudson sends her compliments to the Raisin on the ripples of her Bear creek. Medi- 
na township, only, lies entirely within the valley of the Bean, but for the purposes of 
this book we shall consider the valley of the Bean as including the townships of 
Woodstock, Rollin, Hudson, Medina and Seneca in Lenawee county, and Somerset, 
Wheatland, Pittsford and Wright in Hillsdale county. 

t>n the banks of the Bean, within the territory mentioned, are the villages of Addi- 
son, Rollin, Hudson, Tiflin, Medina, Canandaigua and Morenci. But as a history of 
the Bean Creek Country would be incom]iIete if it did not make mention of all the 
territory, the trade of which has contributed to the prosperity of the Valley, we shall 
include in these brief outlines of history the territory lying at the headwaters of tlie 
Kalamazoo and the two St. Josephs, comprising the townships of Moscow, Adams, 
Jefferson, Ransom and Amboy, in the county of Hillsdale. 

I am aware that in writing the early history of the country the difficulties to be 
overcome are very great ; that in some of the townships the early records are lost, 
.and in all they are very meager; tliat many of the early actors have passed away, and 
the memories of all are failing— but I have; endeavored to collect my material from 
the most trustworthy sources, have verified them, when possible, by reference to con- 
temporaneous records, and have endeavored to digest, write and arrange with an 
•unbiased mind, only solicitous to discover and record the true history of the country 
and the times. How well I have succeeded I submit to the candid judgment of the 
old pioneers, than whom more noble and generous men and women never existed in 
. iny country. 

.The question may be asked. Why did you not wait until more facts and incidents 



INTRODUCTION. 



had been accumulated? The answer is, "Procrastination is the tliief of tinie," sxsifl 
while we have been talking and waiting many persons whose supervision would have- 
been desirable have died, and in the course of human life nearly all the old pioneers- 
will pass away in tlie course of the next five years. It is, therefore, every way desir- 
able that the material accessible should make its ajipearance, and be submitted to 
criticism before all the competent critics shall have passed away. 

The facts and incidents here related were mostly gathered by myself, from iiiter- 
views with old people and a careful comparison of official records ; but I desire to 
acknowledge valuable aid from newspaper articles prepared by several of the old seti-- 
tiers, among which I would specially name the Hon. Robert Worden, Hon. Orson 
Green, Hon. George W. Moore, and Beriahll. Lane, esq., of the Bean Creek Countiy, 
and A. L. Millard and Samuel Gregg, esqs., of Adrian. 

It was the original design of the Pioneer Society of Bean Creek Country that 
sketches prepared by members should be deposited with the Secretary, and that a 
btx)k should be iniblished by subscription, but no such material has been contributed. 
All the matter prepared by its members has been given to the public through the 
newspapers, no manuscripts have been deposited, and the interest appears to be 
dying out. At this juncture the publisher of the Hudson Post proposed to pay for a 
part of the labor of collecting material and writing it up. Believing it to be the only 
way in which such a book could at present be published, I accepted the proposition 
and commenced the work. It has been a hard task, but if it shall in any way serve 
to preserve the history of pioneer times, I shall be satisfied. 

Tridy yours, 
Hudson, Mich., Oct. 1, 187(5. THE AUTHOR.- 



I MICHIGAN. 



SCRAPS OF ITS EARLY HISTORY— INDIAN TREATIES— SURVEYS— S'PrTTLEMEXT— DIS- 
PUTED BOUNDARIES— GERM OF THE TOLEDO WAR— MISCHIEVOUS 
OFFICIAL REPORT, ETC. 

The word Michigan is probably derived from two Chippewa woi-ds— Mitcliaw, gi-eat, 
and Sagiegan, lali^e— Great Lake. 

The territory ot Michigan was visited by the French .Tesnits, Fatliers Chas. Rym- 
bault and Isaac Jogues, at the Sault St. Mary, in July, 1641. 

Father Mesnard spent the winter of IfiGO-Gl on one of the bays of Lake Superior. 

In 1(5(55 Father Claude AUonez founded a Mission at La Point, Lake Superior. 

In 1668 Fatlier Marquette founded a Mission at Sault St. Mary, and in 1671 founded 
a mission near Mackinaw. In tlie latter year an agent of the King of France took 
formal possession of all the country between Montreal and the South Sea. At that 
time Michigan for tlie most part was occupied by Ottawas and Cliippewas. There 
were some Pottawatomies and Miamies in tlie south part, and some Sacs and Foxes 
along tlie southern shore of Lake Superior. 

In 1686 Fort St. Joseph and Fort Detroit were built, the former where Fort Gratiot 
now stands, at the outlet of Lake Huron ; the site of the latter is not known. Botli 
were soon after abandoned. 

Detroit, now the city of Detroit, was founded in ITOl by De La Motte Cadillac. He 
landed on the 24th day of July, and on the same day commenced the erection of Fort 
Pontchartrain. In 1761 the number of inhabitants in the Detroit settlement was e.s- 
timated at 2,5(X). In 1763 France ceded her dominion over Michigan to England. In 
1774, by act of Parliament, Michigan became a part of the province of Quebec, and 
Col. Henry Hamilton was appointed "Lieutenant Governor and Superintendent of 
Detroit." It was here that during the Revolutionary war Indian incursions 
against the infant settlements of Western Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky, 
were organized. 

Michigan was surrendered to the United States in 1796, and became a part of the 
Northwestern Territory, Gen. St. Clair, Governor. On the eleventh of August of that 
year Wayne county was organized, and included all of Michigan, the nortliern part of 
Ohio and Indiana and a part of Illinois and Wisconsin. The county elected delegates 
to the first Territorial legislature, which met at Cincinnati September 16th, 1799. 

The State of Ohio was organized by act of Congress Ai)ril 30th, 1802, and by the same 
act the Territory of Indiana was formed, and of it Michigan formed a part. Gen. 
William Henry Harrison was Governor of the Territory. The ordinance of 1787, by 
which the Northwest Territory was organized, provided that " Congi-ess shall have 
authority to form one or two States out of the territory which lies north of an east and 
west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan." The act 
of April 30th, 1802, organizing the State of Ohio, fixed for its northern boundary "• an 
east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan," but the 
Constitution adopted by the people of Ohio described as the northern boundary of the 
State a line running "from the southern bend of Lake Michigan to the northerly cape 
of Maiunee Bay." Congress admitted Ohio without taking any notice of the discrep- 
ancy, in matter of northern boundary line, between the State Constitution and the 



THE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 



enabling act and the ordinance of 1787. By the line described in the ordinance and 
^ -enabling act Toledo would be in Michigan ; by the line described in the Ohio State 
' -Constitution it would be in Ohio. The unwarranted departure of the Constitu- 
tional Ciuivciition of Ohio from the express terms of the ordinance and enabling act 
laid the foundation for that affair known in history as the " Toledo war." 

On the 11th day of January, 1805, Congress passed an act organizing the Territory of 
.Michigan and by it the legislative power was vested in the Governor and Judges. On 
the 2(;th day of February Gen. ^Vm. Hull was appointed Governor of the Territory, 
and reached Detroit on the fir,st day of July, but between the date of his appointment 
and arrival, that is to say. on the eleventh day of June, Detroit was entirely consumed 
by fire; not a house was left standing; nothing but ashes marked the site of the re- 
cent town. 

On the second day of July, 1805, tlie government of tlie Territory of Michigan was 
organized, and the legislature commenced its session. The Icri'itory at that time com- 
prised the Lowrr rcninsula only, and the Indians clainicil title to and were In 
possession nf nearly all of that. By the treaty concluded liy Gen. Clarke at Fort :Mc- 
Intosh in 1785, the Indian title was extinguished to a belt of territory six miles in 
width, extending along the Detroit river from the river Ilaisiu to Lalce St. Clair. 
Aside from this stri]> of country, the Indians claimed title to the whole of ^lieliigan. 
South of the river I'laisin the Indian country extended to and bordered the waters of 
Lake Erie, so that the settlements of the young territory were completely cut otf from 
the settled portions of Ohio. 

On the seventeenth day of Xovemlier, 1^07, the Ignited States govennueut conclud- 
ed a treaty with the Chippewas, Ottawiis, Wyandottes and Pottawatomies, by which 
the Indian title to the follfywing deserilied tract of land was extinguislied, vi/, : " Be- 
gimiing at the mouth of the river ?\Iiami of the Lakes (Maiunet^), running thence iip 
tlie middle of said river to the moutli of the great Auglaize river; thenee running dut^ 
iiorth one hundred and thirty-two miles, until it intersects a parallel of latitude to be 
drawn from the outlet of Lake Huron, which forms the river St. Clair: then north- 
■eastthe com-se will lead in a direct line to White Eock, Lake Huron: tlienee due east 
until it intersects the boundary line between the United States and Ujijier Canada; 
thence southerly, following said boundary line down said lake, tlirongh the river St* 
Clair, Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit river, into Lake Erie, to a point due east of the 
Miami river; thence to tlie jdaee of beginning." This tract included that part 
of the State of Michigan lying east of the principal meridian of the Monroe sm-vey, 
and south of a line drawn from near tlie village of Ovid northeasterly, diagonally in- 
tersecting the counties of Shiawasse, Saginaw, Tuscola, Sanilac and Huron, to "White 
Rock, on the eastern shore of Lake Huron. 

The Territory of Michigan was surrendered to the British by General Hull on the 
seventeenth day of August, 1812, and was put under martial law. On the twenty- 
ninth day of September, 181:3, the Territory was evacuated by the British, and on the 
thirteenth day of October following. Colonel Lewis Cass was appointed Governor. 

By proclamation of the Governor, Wayne county was re-organized November first, 
1815 ; and on the fourteenth day of July, 1817, the county of :Monroe was organized, 
4il80 by Executive proclamation. 

On the fourth day of September, tsir, William Woodbridge, Secretary and acting 
Governor of the Territory, issued a jiroi himation organizing the township of Monroe. 
The preamble recites, ''Whciois, It appears by the report of John Anderson and 
Wolcott Lawrence, Esepiires, appointed to examine and report in tlie premises, that a 
part of the fai-m of Joseph Loranger, and some adjacent ground on tlie borders of 
La Riviere aux Raisins, constitute the most eligible ixirtion tliereof. * * * * 

"■Nov\ therefore, I, the above named William Woodbridge, do by the power and 
authority in me for the time being vested, constitute the whole of that certain tract 
and parts of tracts described in the aforesaid reports, * * * * into a township 



MICIIIGAX. 



for the permanent seat of justice in and for said county of Moni-oe, to be l^no^^•n and 
called by the name of the town of Monroe. * * * * * " 

In 1810 Governor Cass concluded a treaty with the Chippewas, of Saginaw, by Avhich 
■the Indian title to a tract of country, beginning at a point near the site of the village 
vf Kalamazoo, and extending to the head of Thunder Bay river; thence by the course 
■li the river to its mouth was extinguished. 

During the vears 1818 and 1810 the 3Ionroe survey was made. It included the State 
■cf Michigan, and that portion embraced in Lenawee county was surveyed by Joseph 
Fletcher during 1810. President ]Monroe issued a proclamation, dated March 15th, 
18^30, declaring the public domain then recently surveyed subject to entry from and 
after the first Monday in Jvdy of that year. 

In the year 1821, Governor Cass and Judge Sibley, of Detroit, negotiated a treaty 
with the Indians, by which the Indian title was extinguished to all that portion of the 
territory lying west of the cession of 1807, and also to that portion lying west of the 
cession of 1819, south of Grand river. This cession included the present counties of 
Jlillsdale, Branch, St. Joseph, Cass, Berrien and Van Buren, the south part of Jack- 
son and Calhoun, the south and west portion of Kalamazoo, the south part of Ottawa 
and Kent, and the southwest portion of Ionia. The treaty was held at Chicago. To 
reach that point, the commissioners descended the Detroit river, crossed the head of 
Lake Erie to Mauniee bay, ascended the ^laumee river to its source, crossed the in- 
tervening country to the Wabash, descended that river to the Ohio, the Ohio to the 
Mississippi, ascended the Mississippi to the mouth of the Illinois, and the Illinois to 
Chicago. 

On the tenth day of September, 18;;::i, Governor Cass issued a proclamation altering 
and defining the boundaries of the counties of Wayne, Monroe, Macomb, Oakland and 
St. Clair, and laying out the counties of Lapeer, Sanilac, Saginaw, Shiawasse, Wash- 
tenaw^ and Lenawee. The boundaries of Lenawee coimty are therein thus defined : 
"Beginning on the principal meridian, ^vhere the line between the townships numbered 
four and five south of the base line intersects the same ; thence south to the boun- 
dary line between the Territory of Michigan and the State of Ohio ; thence with the 
same, east,- to the line between the fifth and sixth ranges east of the principal meridian ; 
thence north to the line between townships numbered four and five south of the base 
line; thence west to the place of beginning." By the same proclamation the county 
of Lenawee was attached to the county of Monroe. At the date of its formation the 
county did not contain a single white inhabitant ; but, although the Indian title had 
been extinguished for fifteen years, the county contained quite a numerous Indian 
population. The Indian title to that portion of Michigan lying west of the principal 
meridian had been extinguished by the treaty of Chicago, concluded on the twenty- 
ninth day of August, 1831, but the Indians remained in partial possession of the 
southern portion of the State until about the year 18:39. 

Sometimes wonder has been expressed that Michigan should have settled so 
slowly and remained so long under a Territorial government. For some reason the 
■climate and soil of the Temtory were strongly misrepresented ; and so late as 18ot> 
Michigan was spoken of in the East as the land of savages, venomous snakes and 
beasts, where all mamier of fell diseases lay in wait to make skeletons of foolhardy 
adventurers. 

In 1813 Congress directed that 2,000,000 acres of Michigan land should ]w surveyed 
and set apart for soldiers in the war with Great Britain, to the end that each soldier 
■should have one hundred and sixty acres of land fit for cultivation. A like amount 
was also set apart in the Territories of Louisiana and Illinois. The lands were sur- 
veyed in the latter Territories, but concerning the lands of Michigan, the Siu-veyor 
General reported : 

The country on the Indian boundary line from the mouth of the great Auglaize 
river, and running thence for about fifty miles, is (with some few exceptions) low, wet 
land, with a very thick growth of underbrush, intermixed with very bad marshes, but 
generally very heavily timbered with beech, cottonwood, oak, etc. ; thence continu- 



]0 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

iii;:^ north and extending from the Indian boundary eastward, the number and extent 
of the s\vam]is iiid'ciiscs witli the additinn of mnnbers of lakes, from twenty chains 
to two and tliret- miles across. Many of the hilves have extensive marslies adjoininj; 
llieir i]iarj.;iiis. sometimes tliiel^ly covered with a si)ecies of iiine called "tamarack, ' 
and other nlaces covered witli a" coarse, hi.nh j^rass, and uniforndy covered from six 
inclies to three feet (and more at times) witli water. Tlie margins of these lakes are 
not the only i)laces wliere swamps are found, for they are interspersed throughout the 
whole coun'trv. and filled witli water as above statech and varyin^^ in extent. The inter- 
mediate hind 'l)etween these swamps and lakes, whicli is in'oh'ably nearly one-half of the 
country, is (with a very few exceptions) a poor, liarren, sandy land, on wliicli scarcely 
anv ve'netation gi'ows," except small, scruhhv oaks. In nianV i)laces thatiiart which 
may he called dry land is coi-nioscd of little short sand hills", lormin.n- a kind of deep 
basins, the bottoms of many ot which are composed of a marsh similar to that above 
described. The streams are ueiiera 11 y narrow and very dee]) compared with their 
width, the shores and boTtoms of which are (with a very "few exceptions) .swampy be- 
yond description ; and i( is with the utmost ditticulty that a place can be found over 
which iKirses can be conveyed in safety. 

A eircinustance peculiar to that country is exhibited in many of the marshes, bj' 
their lieinu thinly covered with a sward of .lii'ass, ))y walking- on which evinced the 
(■xistence (if water or a verv thin mud inniiediately iinder their eoveriiiL;, which sinks 
from six to eighteen indu's from the pressure of the foot at every steji. and at the 
same time rising hebire and behind the ]ierson passing over. The margins of many 
of the lakes and streams are in a sinnlar condition, and in many jilaces are literally 
afloat. On approacliing the eastern jiart of the military lands, toward the private 
(daims on the strniijhts and lakes, the country does not contain so many swamiis and 
lakes, but the extreme sterility and Viarrenness of the soil continues the same. Taking 
the country altogether, so far as has been explored, and to all appearances, together 
with the information received concerning the balance, is so bad there would not be 
more than one acre out of a hundred, if there would be one out of a thousand, that 
would ill any case admit of cultivation. 

The consequence of such a rejiort being made was that the act locating the 3,000,000 
acres of military land was rejiealed. and ^fichigan escaped the misfortune of having 
her be.st lands long kept out of the market for the benefit of land speculators. 

Upon tlie appearance of this report, (loxcrnor f'ass at once set on foot numerous ex- 
plorations throughout the interior, and when he had become thoroughly convinced of 
the falsity of the report, and had collected sufficient evidence of such falsity, he at 
once used all the means in his jiower to correct the mis(diiey(ms impression made by 
the report. It is a trite saying that "'a lie will travel faster than the truth." but it was 
verified in this instance, for it was more than twenty years liefore ^lichigan recovered, 
from the effects of the false impression caused by that unjust official report. 



LENAWEE COUNTY. 11 



n, LENAWEE COUNTY. 

182-3 TO 1833. 

In the siimiuer of 183:3 :jrusgrove Evans, of Brownsville, Jefferson county, in the State 
of New York, came int« the Territory of >ilichigan to find for himself and family a home. 
He formed the acquaintance of Austin E. Wing, of Monroe, a man of considerable 
prominence in the territory, who afterwards represented it in Congress. Wing in- 
formed Evans of a desirable location on the Raisin, within the county of Lenawee, 
and represented the advantages the county possessed as a farming country, and the 
wonderful hydraulic advantages offered by the Raisin and a tributary, which united 
their waters at this place, in such glowing terms that Evans was induced to visit the. 
place, and an agreement was entered into between Wing and Evans to organize a 
company for the improvement of the almost unrivaled water power. Evans returned 
to the State of New York to enlist others in the enterprise, and during his absence 
Wing purchased of the United States the west part of section twenty-seven and the 
east part of section twenty-eight, in township five south of range four east, which in- 
cluded the water power, and that part of Tecmnseh now known as Brownsville, and 
the tributary stream received the cognomen of Evans' creek. 

Musgrove Evans was a native of Peinisylvauia, but had then recently been an in- 
habitant of the State of New York. He belonged to the Society of Friends, and was 
educated. He possessed a well-balanced mind and untiring perseverance, and the 
survivors of those days agree that he was a noble man. Mr. Evans returned to his 
home in New York, to enlist others in the enterprise, and secure a few good colonists 
with which to start the settlement of the new counbry. He succeeded in inducing his 
brother-in-law, .Joseph W. Brown, also of Brownsville, .Jefferson county, New York, 
to become a partner in the enterprise, and several others to accompany them to their 
new home in the then far west. 

Evans and Bro\\ni secured the old schooner Erie to bring their colony across Lake 
Erie. The company consisted of Musgrove Evans, wife and five children, Joseph 
W. BroNMi, Ezra F. Blood, Turner Stetson, Nathan Rathbone, Peter Lowery, and per- 
haps one or two others. They arrived at Detroit in the month of April, 1824. Here 
Evans left his family, and the men procured a Frenchman, with pony and cart, to car- 
ry their packs, nntil they struck the Raisin a little above where the village of Clinton 
now stands, and tliere shouldering their packs, they traveled to the proposed site of 
the new colony at the mouth of Evans' creek. Of course the first thing to do was to 
prepare temporary shelter for the men, and then immediately the work of organiza- 
tion commenced. A co-partnership was formed between Wing, Evans and Brown^ 
the north half of section thirty-four entered, and a saw mill commenced. They 
brought forty men from the village of ^Monroe, thirty-three miles distant, to assist in 
raising the frame of the mill. Having prepared a rude log house, with bark roof and 
floors, Evans brought his family fi-oin Detroit, and took possession of the mansion, 
house of the county on the second day of June, 1824. Peter Benson and wife, in the 
employ of Wing, Evans & Brown, occupied the house with them. The Evans family 
was the first white family in Lenawee county, and Mrs. Evans and Sirs. Benson were 
the first white women to set foot within the boundaries of Lenawee county. 

Early in the summer of 1824 a village was platted and named Tecumseh, in honor of 
the renowned Shawaneese warrior, who had often, tratUtion says, visited that locality 
and sat in council around the fires of the resident tribes. As soon as the settlement 
was fairly connnenced,— a village platted and named,— then a movement was put on 
foot to establish the seat of justice for the county at this, its only settlement, and ia 



About the 1 


ait-rp; 


lit of J line a 


appoiiitfd ]!(!, 
ferson rum it; 


r. N. V 


•r. About til 
.. for liis fain 



12 TIIE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

its only village of one loj:f house. A petition unanimously signed, no doubt, ^Yas sent 
to Governor Cass, who, in accordance witli the territorial statute in sucli case pro- 
vided, appointed commissioners to examine, select and report a location for the seat of 
justice of Lenawee county. They decided to locate it at Tecumseh, and it is related 
that when the commissioners stuck the stake to mark the site for the court house, the 
company present, among whom were the proprietors of the village, swung their hats 
and gave three hearty cheers. 3Ir. AVing, in the ardor of his enthusiasm, swung his 
hat with such emphasis that at the last whirl it flew away, leaving in his hand a piece 
of the liriiii altout as large as a silver dollar. This, perhaps, was pro])hetic of the early 
(light of the •• scat of justice" to a more southern site. 

Upon i-ccei].t of the connnissioners' report, the Legislative Council passed "An Act 
to establish the si-at of justice in Lenawee county," althougli at that time the county 
was unorganized, being attached to the county of Monroe. The act was approved 
June SOth, 1S24, and is as follows: 

Be it enacted Inj tlir Huvcnmr (ind Lcqislntive CoimicM of the rcrritnru of Mirhi- 
mn. That the si'at of justice ill the countv of Lenawee lie! and the same is herebv 
estabhshi'd on ihe northwest (piartcr of section nuiubci- tliirt\-i(inr. in tuwnslii)) live 
.soutli. range fnur east, in the >aid cduni \- of Lenawee du hui(Un\\ued 'nv Messrs. 
Wing. KvanscVc lb-own. agiveadile to the jilan of a towii nr village, ^iumte'd on said 
northwest (inarter section, and nMM.i-ded in tlie Eegi.ster's oflice. in the countv of .Mon- 
roe', the tweiits -sixth Oay of .jiiii,'. one thousand eight hundred and twenty-lour. 

)st-(if!ice also was established, and }»Iusgrove E\'ans 
tirst day of .July, 18'3i, Mr. Browai returned to Jef- 
V. An extract fn^m a letter, written him by Mr. 
Evans, will slied some light on the contlition of things in this young settlement. The 
letter bears date " Tecumseh, 8 M., Sth, IS'iM." After acknowledging the receipt that 
morning of Brown's letter "of the (ith ult.,"' the latter says : 

••The articles thi;e mentions will lie good here, ]>articularly the stove, as it takes 
some time always in a new place to uet ovens and chimnevs convenient for cooking. 
\N e ha\-e neither yet, and no other wav of baking for twenty people but in a bake 
■kettle and the lire out at the do(,r."' 

The saw mill was compleb'd and commenced operations in' the fall of 1824, and 
building thenceforth became po.ssible. In the month of June, Is-M. .Tesse Osburn vis- 
ited the infant settlement, and selected and purchased a tract of land near where 
Judge Stacy now resides. In the month of August, that year, he ri'iuoved his family 
to the wilds of Michigan. He came by schooner to Detroit; from thence Mr. Osburn 
drove his own team to Monroe, over the old Eiver road, and his was the first team 
driven over the route subseciuent to the war of 1812. They found bridge frames and 
stringers, but none were planked. The covering had been removed by the contending 
armies, and since the return of peace the traffic of Detroit had been carried on by the 
lake craft. There was but little need of a highway between Detroit and Mom-oe, as 
their intercourse could be carried on by way of the lake much cheaper and nioi-e eas- 
ily, and for years the road was traveled only by the French pony trains, the animals 
carrying about four hundred pounds each. 

Mr. Osburn brought to the territory two plows of diverse pattern, and one of them 
deserves, perhaps, a few words of (lescri]ition. Cast iron plows liad been made in the 
the latter part of the 18th century, Init \vere not used by farmers imtil after Mr. Wood 
patented his improvement in 1819. The jilow in general use before that time was a wood- 
en plow, with a wrought iron share or i)oint, and had received the cognomen of " bull 
plow." The introduction of cast ircm plows met with great opposition from the farm- 
ers of the east. They argued they would siwil the land ; that land plowed with them 
woidd not produce as good crops as that plowed with the old bull plow, " for," said 
they, " it turns a furrow too flat, and does not leave the ground as loose and light as 
the bull plow does." To express their contempt for it, they dubbed the Wood plow 
the pot-metal plow. When Mr. Osburn was preparing to come to the Territory of 
Michigan lie purchased a Wood's plow. His neighbors looked at him with astonish- 
juent. "What," said they, " you going to u.se a pot-metal plow ; why, you can't do 



LENAWEE COUNTY. 13 



anything with it among stones." " That's just it," said Mr. Osbnrn, "I am going to- 
Slichigan, Ys'here tliey don't liave any stones." But altliough Mr. Osburn brought an 
iron plow to Michigan, he never entirely lost his prej udice against the pot-metal aif air. 
He brouglit tlje share of his old bull ]ilow with him, re-wooded it here, and as long as 
he could find a blacksmith that understood sharpening it, he would plow with no. 
other, and the probabilities are that the first crop of wheat raised in Lenawee covmtj- 
was sowed on land plowed with a bull plow. Mr. A. C. Osburn, of Woodstock, pre- 
serves the remains of his father's bull plow, and as the younger readers have, probabhv 
never .seen such a plow, a description will be attempted. 

The component parts of this plow are the " chip," the share, mouldboard, beam, and 
handle. The "chip" was made out of a round piece, two sides dressed at right 
angles, so as to present a smooth side on the bottom and to the land; the forward end 
was fonned to fit into the share, and the other was mortised to receive the handle. 
The "share" resembles the forward part of an iron plow, including the point, and' 
forward portions of mouldboard and landside. To this share and chip was fitted a 
wooden mouldboard, usually rived out of a piece of timber having the proper wind. 
The beam was of wood, but little larger than a corn cultivator beam, and was ten- 
anted to receive the handle. A single bolt, which had its flattened head let into the 
bottom of the chip, and had a nut at its upper end, on top of the beam, fastened the 
chip and share to the beam forward, while the handle — only one— fitting on to the ten- 
ant of the beam and into the mortise of the chip, fastened tlie beam to the chip behind. 
The rectangular sides of the chip, measuring not more than two inches, formed the 
bottom and landside; The sliare was of wrought iron, and was sharpened by being- 
drawn out at a smith's forge. 

A school house was built by Evans and Brown, of tamarack logs, and was twelve 
feet square. In that house Mrs. George Spafford taught school in the winter of 1S2J-.5.. 
The Evans' house this winter sheltered Mr. and Mrs. Evans and five children, Mr,. 
and :Mrs. Brown and five children, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Spafford, and from ten to twelve 
Avork hands employed at the mill and about the business of the mill firm. 

On the third day of May, ISiJi, William Kedzie, of Delhi, N. Y., purchased of the- 
United States government a tract of land in the township of Blissfield, but lie didt 
not settle on it until October, 1S36. In the month of June, 18-,Ji, Mr. Ilervey Bliss pur- 
chased a tract of land in that township, and moved on it in the month of December 
following. Mr. Bliss came to this county from Raisinville, Monroe comity. He set- 
tled in the village of Monroe in 181(5, a year later he moved thirteen miles up the 
Raisin, and settled on government land, but it proved to be on the "Macon reservation."" 
He was driven off by the Indians in 1819, and settled in the township of Raisinville, 
Monroe county, where he resided until he removed to Lenawee ccJunty, as heretofore 
stated. He built a log house, which he and his family occupied for about twelve 
years. Mr. Gideon West settled on section twenty-nine in January, 183.5. 

In the spring of 182.5 Mr. Bliss lost one of his oxen, and had no means to buy an- 
other, but his new neighbor, a Mr. Harrison, being about to return to Massachusetts 
for his wife, loaned him a pair of yomig steers. With these he managed to log and, 
drag a small field for spring crops. He had to go to Monroe to mill, and had no team 
he could drive on the road. He drove his ox to the township of Raisinville, 
yoked him with a borrowed ox, hitched the pair to a borrowed cart, returned to hi^i- 
residence, took in sixteen bushels of corn, and drove to Monroe. The grist ground;, 
the whole distance had to be again traveled over in reverse order. To get that grist 
ground it cost him eight days' time and one hundred and forty miles travel. He 
found this milling so expensive that he burned a hollow in the top of a stump, of 
sufficient size to contain a half bushel of grain, and with a pestle attached to a spring 
pole, he pounded his corn for bread until he was enabled to procure another team. 

With the opening of the spring of 182;5 busy scenes reciu-red, and before autumn 
large accessions had been made to the population of Lenawee count^v. Tji that year- 



].t THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

the people of the Tecimiseh settlement were principally engaged in making sure the 
jirogress of the preceding eventful year, in preparing dwellings for those on the 
ground and those arriving, and in clearing off ground for cultivation. Mr. Brown 
Iniilt a frame building and opened it as a public house, the first and then the only 
public house west of the village of Monroe. Mr. Jesse Osburn, in the fall of that 
year, sowed the first wheat in Lenawee county, on the gi'ound a little north of the 
present residence of Judge Stacy, and James Knoggs built and opened a store. The 
«lder Osburn spelled his name with a u; his son uses an o instead. 

In the summer of lS2o Mr. Darius Comstock, of Niagara county, N. Y., purchased a 
tract of Iftnd in the present township of Kaisin, in what is known as " The Valley," 
4ibout midway between Tecumseh and Adrian. His son, Addison J. Comstock, pur- 
■cliased of the g()\ ernment, on the seventh day of September, 1825, four hundred and 
eighty acres (if land, in wlilch lie afterwards laid out the village of Adrian. Of the 
elder Comstock we quote the eulogistic words of Francis A. Dewey, esq. : " Of the 
early pioneers no one is more worthy of special notice than our late friend, Darius 
Comstock, with his ample means and generous ways. He located his lands in the 
valley four miles south of Tecumseh ; there he made himself and family a beautiful 
home, where his declining years were spent with good will to all. For many years 
3.)ast these lands and stately buildings have been in the hands of ti'ustees, and have 
beciiiue one of the l)est literary lnstltiili(ms in the country. It was largely through 
theeffortsof Darius Comstock that the first meeting house in the county was erected, 
and it now stands a monument to his memory. Thousands of the Friends persuasion 
yearly assemble in it to worsliip the true and only God." The younger Comstock, after 
entering his lands, retin-ned to the State of New York, where he remained during the 
winter of 182.>6. 

In the spring of 1825 "Wing, Evans & Brown built a grist mill at Tecumseh, the set- 
tlers having agreed to ])ay two Inindrcd dollars towards the cost of its erection. 
Turner Stetson was the builder. The dam was ready built, the liuildiiig and water- 
wheel easily built, but it was extremely difficult to provide the mill-stones. A pair of 
French burr stones would cost a large sum at the east, .vnd then it would have been 
diflicult, not to say impossible, to transport them over Michigan mud, through Michi- 
gan forests, to the metropolis of Lenawee county. It has been said " necessity is 
the mother of invention," and these pioneer mill builders were not to' be discouraged 
by difficulties. A granite rock was found lying on the ground about two miles from 
.the mill building. It had been broken into two pieces by the falling of a tree across 
•it. The services of Sylvester Blackmar, a practical miller, were called into requisi- 
tion, and the jneces ]»re]iared, the smaller for the upper and the larger for the nether 
mill-stone, and with them for several years the grain of Lenawee county was ground. 

The people had determined to celebrate Independence Day this year, and great 
preparation was made for the first Fourth of July celebration in Lenawee county. 
The mill was ready for business, the wheat sowed by Jesse Osburn the fall before had 
ripened, been harvested and threshed, and on this auspicious Fourth of July morning 
Jesse Osburn carried some wheat to the mill, Sylvester Blackmar ground it into flour, 
and J>Irs. Brown made the cake and biscuit for the celebration of that day. The per- 
formance of this feat is vouched for by living witnesses. 

On the fourteenth day of February. 182(), Addison J. Comstock was married to Miss 
Sarah S. Dean, of Phelps, Ontario county, N. Y., and in the early spring retm-ned, 
with his bride, to Lenawee eoimty, accompanied also by Mr. John Gifford and wife. 
Mr. Gifford had been employed by Mr. Comstock to assist him in the clearing of his 
land and the erection of suitable buildings. The women were left at the Valley until 
suitable houses could be erected on the Comstock tract. 

While the houses were being built, that is to say on the twenty-eighth day of June, 
im\ John Gifford purchased of the United States eighty acres of land, now consti- 
tuting a portion of the second ward of the city of Adrian. Mr. Gifford occupied the 
li-ouse built for liimeu the tenth day of August, and Mr. Comstock moved into his a 



LENAWEE COUNTY. 15- 



few clays later, and thus Mrs. Gifford became the first white woman inhabitant of the 
future Adrian. Mr. Comstock's house was situated in an oak grove on the bank of the 
river, south side of Maumee street, nearly opposite the Gibson House. Mr. Corn- 
stock built a saw mill this year, and had it completed in the month of November. 
It was the second saw mill in the county. 

December 26th, 1S3G, Elias Deiniis purchased of the United States eighty acre^ of 
land, now known as L. G. & A. S. Berry's Southern Addition to the city of Adrian. 

In October of this year Mr. William Kedzie, who as before stated, purchased land 
in Blissfield in May, 1834, settled on his land. The winter was spent in cutting down, 
with the help of two brothers, Nathan and Benjamin Tibbits, the timber on about 
thirty acres of land, and in the following spring ten acres were logged and planted to 
corn. 

November 30th of this year (1836) the Legislative Council passed an act organizing 
the county of Lenawee, to take elfect from and after the 31st day of December of that 
year. The terms of the County Court were fixed on the first Mondays of June and 
January in each year, and by this act, " All the country within this territory to which 
the Indian title was extinguished by the treaty of Chicago shall be attaclied to and 
compose a part of the county of Lenawee.'" The territory thus attached to Lenawee 
•county comprised a belt of country extending from the meridian line, the west line 
of the county, to Lake Michigan, including the present counties of Hillsdale, Branch, 
St. Joseph, Cass, and Berrien. 

November 2Sd the first wedding, or rather pair of weddings, occurred in the town- 
ship of Blissfield— Mr. Samuel Buck and :Miss Margaret Frary and Mr. George Stout 
and Miss Delight Bliss. Loren 3Iarsh, a Monroe county justice, was imported to 
perform the ceremony. 

In the fall of 1836 Musgrove Evans was employed by the United States government 
to superintend the construction of the Chicago Road from Detroit to Clinton. It had 
been surveyed by the United States in 183.5, and established a.s a military road between 
Detroit and Chicago. It is two hundred and fifty-four miles long, extends from De- 
troit through Tpsilanti and Saline, enters Lenawee county a little to the northeast of 
Clinton village, passes through the village of Clinton and along the northern bounda- 
ry of Lenawee county, tlirough Hillsdale, Branch and St. Joseph counties, and crosses 
the corner of Berrien into the State of Indiana. It was the thoroughfare to other 
States along which emigrants flocked in almost countless numbers. Blois' Gazetteer 
of the State of Michigan, published in 18.38, speaking of the Chicago lload, said : 
"The travel on this road is immense, equal to, if not more, than on any other in the 
United States of the same length." 

By an act of the Legislative Council, approved April 13th, 1S3T, it was provided that 
all that part of the county of Lenawee containing the surveyed townships nmnbered 
live south of the base line, in ranges one, two, three, four and five cast of tlie princi- 
pal meridian, be a township by the name of Tecumseh : all that part of said county 
containing the surveyed township numbered six, in ranges one, two, three, four and 
five, be a township by the name of Logan : and that all that part of the country con- 
faining the surveyed townships seven, eight and nine, in ranges one, two, three, four 
and five, be a township by the name of Blissfield. But by another act of the Legisla- 
tive Council, approved the same day, all the foregoing was repealed, and the county 
was divided into townships as follows : Township numbered five and the north hall' 
of township numbered six south, in ranges one, two, three, four and five east, to be a 
township named Tecmuseh, first township meeting to be held at the house of Joseph 
W. Brown; the south half of townships numbered six and townships numbered seven 
south, in ranges numbered one, two and three east, to be a township by the name of 
Logan, the first township meeting to be held at the house of Darius Comstock; and 
townships numbered seven, in ranges four and five, and townships numbered eight 
and nine south, in ranges numbered one, two, three, four and five east, to be a township 
aianied Blissfield, the first township meeting to lie held at the house of Hervey Bliss. 



16 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



Aeconling to tlie division Avliich became and remained tlie law, Tecumscli township' 
eompiiscd tlie present townshiiis of :\racon, Tecumseh, Clinton, Franklin, Cam- 
bridge, Woodstock, and the north half of the townships of Rollin, Rome, Adrian,. 
]!aisin and Ridgeway. The township of Lojjan comprised the south half of the pres- 
ent townships of Ridj^cway. ruiisiii, Adrian, Rome and Rollin, and all of the town- 
shijis of iludso]!, Dover and Madison— an odd shaped townslnp, truly; the township 
of Rlisstield comprised the present townships of Palmyra, Blissfield, Deerfield, Riga». 
Ogden, Fairfield, Seneca and :\[edina. 

By the same Legislative Act, '■ All that district of country situated west of the saiA 
county of Lenawee, and whicli is attached to said county, and to which the Indian 
title was extinginshed by the treaty of Chicago," was formed into a township named' 
St. Joseph, the first township meeting to be held at the house of Timothy S. Smith. 

The first township meeting in the township of Logan was held on the 28th day of 
May. Ellas Dennis was Moderator of the meeting; Darius Comstock was elected Su'- 
pervisor; Addison J. Comstock, Town Clerk; Noah Norton. Warner Ellsworth and 
Cornelius A. Stout, Commissioners of Highways; Patrick Hamilton and Abram 
West, Overseers of the Poor. 

The first township meeting in the township of Blissfield was held on the 2Sth day 
of :May. William Kedzie was elected Supervisor, and Ezra (!off Town Clerk. That 
the county had settled rapiilly since the advent of its first family. inis:24. may be seen 
by the following extract from a letter, written by Mr. Brown, under date of .January 
14th, 1S;2T: " 'I'iic Legislative Council have organized three new counties this winter,, 
and in none of them ^vas there a white inhabitant in the year 1823, and in oni-s not till 
.Tune, 18;i4. This is the youngest and smallest of the three, and we have more than six 
hundred inhabitants." 

This year, 1827. Dr. Caleb N. Ormsby erected the first frame dwelling within what 
is now the city of Adrian. The first birth and death in the A. J. Comstock settle- 
ment occurred this year— Leander, infant son of A. J. and Sarah L. Comstock. lie 
was born August 0th. and died October 8th. 

October ;»l, Ur. .Tames Wliitiie>- inuchased of the United States four hundred acres, 
of land, on the west side of the river, Adrian. 

The original ])lat of the village of Adrian was laid out by Addison .1. ( 'omstock, and 
recorded April 1st, 18;J8. It consisted of two streets only, Main and :\Iauiiiee, of ecpial 
length, crossing each other at right angles. There were forty-nine lots in all. 

In June, 1828, James Whitney returned to Adrian witli his family, and built a log 
hou.se on his farm. He resided here until 1833. when the place becoming too thickly 
settled for him, he sold ids hnul and removed to a newer country. 

July 4th, 1828, Indeiiendence Day was celebrated in the village of Adrian. The 
stand was erected under a white oak tree, near where W. S. Wilcox's store now 
stands. A national salute was fired, a l>lacksmith"s anvil having been prepared for 
that purpose. Amidst the boondng of tiie extemporized cannon the peojile assembled. 
Addison J. Comstock read the Declaration of Indeiiendence, and Dr. C. N. Ormsby 
delivered the oration, whicli ended, the Marshal of the Day, Noali Norton, formed the 
procession and marched through streets fringed with hazel brush, to the residence of 
A. J. Comstock, where the ladies of the village had preitared dinner. Mr. Norton and 
Eleazer Baker had one pair of shoes between them, and tliey belonged to Baker. A 
bare-footed marshal would never do, so Norton wore the shoes and Baker remained 
at home. 

In the summer of 1828 Isaac Dean commenced building the "Exchange," a public 
house which for many years occupied the site of the Lawrence house, and was the 
principal hotel of the village. 

In the winter of 1828-9 Miss Dorcas Dean taught the first scho<.)l in Adrian, in the 
house of Noah Norton. During the year 1829 a frame school house was built on the 
west side of South Main street. 

The subject of religion was not forgotten by the 6usy pioneers of Lenawee county.. 



LENAWEE COUNTY. 17 



The Rev. Nmh M. Well's preached at Tecumseh in 1835. In 1827 the Rev. John Janes 
preached a± the honse of Noah Norton, in Adrian. In April, 1838, tlie Rev. Alanson 
Darwin organized the Preshyterian cliurcli m Teemnseli. Daniel Smith and Elijah 
B^o^vl^ell often preached the word to the Friends of the Valley. In August, 1838, the 
Rev. John A. Banghinan, of Monroe, preached the lirst sermon in the township of 
Blissfield. 

August .5th, this year, William Kedzie, of Blissfield township, died. :Mr. Kedzie 
purchased the first land sold by the Government in the township of Blissfield, settled 
on it in October, 1836, and was elected first Supervisor of the township in 1837. He 
possessed a robust constitution, was seldom sick, and was always a hard-working 
man. He had sowed a crop of wheat in the fall of 1837, and in July, 1838, he harvested 
it; but while it still stood in shock, lie was prostrated on a bed of sickness, and died 
in a few days. He left a widow, five boys and two girls, to grapple unaided with 
the hardships of pioneer life. On the marble slab at the head of his grave is chiseled 
the story of his life :— "Wii.t.iam Kedzie. A native of Roxboroshire, Scotland, whO' 
departed this life Aug. 5, 18;28, aged 47 years, 6 mo. and 5 days. A useful citizen ; a 
true fi-iend; a loving and faithful husband; an affectionate parent; and a sincere 
christian." 

In June of this year, the Legislative Council laid out a Territorial road from "Port 
Lawrence," (Toledo) "in the county of Monroe," through "Blissfield and Logan, and 
also through the village of Adrian, in the county of Lenawee, to intersect the Chicago 
road on the most direct and eligible route; and Antliony M'Kee, of said county of 
Lenawee, and Eli Hubbard and Seneca Allen, of the county of Monroe, are hereby 
appointed commissioners to Iny out said road." The act was approved June 3;3d, 1838,. 
and the reader will lu'rccive that at tin's time the Territory of Michigan was exercising 
jm-isdiction over tlui region bordering on the Maumee, and that the site of the city of 
Toledo was then considered a part of the county of Monroe. 

In 1839 Governor Cass organized the militia of Lenawee county, and appointed the 
following officers: Col., John W. Brown; Lieut. Col., William McNair; Maj., Davis 
Smith. 

In December, 183S, or early in January, 1839, a post-office was established at the 
village, and Addison J. Comstock was commissioned post-master. Of this post-office 
jNIr. Comstock, in a document prepared by him several years since, says : 

-The conditions of establishing the office were that the contractor should take tlie 
net revenue of the office for transporting the mail from Adrian to Monroe. The 
whole receipts of the first <iuarter, ending Marcli 31, 1839, was $8.60%^. The net revenue 
to the contractor, after paying ex]iensf of office, 90% cents. It diould be remarked 
that the carrying of tht^ mail was not exjiensive, as the post-master took advantage of 
the ox teams that made rt'gular trips to ^lonroe, and so obtained the mail about every 
week, as a trip to ]Monroe and back could be performed in about five days when thev 
had good luck." 

It was during this year Dr. E. Conant Winter settled in Adrian. He opened a dry 
goods store on the southwest corner of Maumee and Winter sti-eets, and Addison J.. 
Comstock and Isaac Dean built the red flouring mill. 

June 3d, 1839, Abijah Russell purchased of the general government about thirty-five- 
acres of land within the present limits of the city of Adrian. 

During the year 1839 Cornelius Millspaw settled in Woodstock, and Silas Benson 
entered land in the township of Moscow. 

In October, 1839, the Legislative Council laid out the township of St. Joseph into 
the counties of Hillsdale, Branch, St. Joseph, Cass, and Berrien; and by act of the 
Council, approved November 4th, 1839, the counties of St. Joseph and Cass w^ere or- 
ganized; Hillsdale was attached to Lenawee; the counties of Branch, Kalamazoo, 
Calhoun, BaiTy and Eaton were attached to the comity of St. Joseph ; and the counties 
of Berrien and Van Buren were attached to the coimty of Cass. By an act approved 
November 5th, tlie townships of White Pigeon, Shennan and Flowerfield, in the 
B 



18 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

^county of St. Joseph, and the townships of Pokagon, LaGrange and Ontwa, in the 
county of Cass, were organized. These townships, as then organized, comprised sev- 
eral surveyed townships; and from them, fronr time to time, otlier townships have 
been organized, until each only comprised one surveyed township. 

In 1830 the United States census was taken, and for the purpose of taking that cen- 
sus within Lenawee county, M.usgrove Evans,'of Tecumseh, was made assistant 
United States marshal. Hillsdale county was at that time attached to Lenawee 
<!Ounty, and Mr. Evans' returns show tlie population to be as follows: Hillsdale, 75; 
Tecumseh, 771; Logan, 500; Blissfield, 145. Total, 1,491. 

It will be reniend)ered that Logan, as then constituted, embraced the south half of 
Ridgeway, Raisin, Adrian, Rome and Rollin, and the townsliiiis of :Ma<lis(ai. Dover 
and Hudson. The following is said to be a complete list of heads of familir.-, in Logan 
township: Darius Comstock, Catharine Fay, Alpheus Hill, Coniclius A. Stout. 
•George Scott, Allen Chaffee, Jonathan Ilarnard, Elijah Brownell. Anson Howell, 
.Samuel Todd, Cary Rogers. James Whitney, John Wood, Pliney Field. Addison J. 
€omstock, Charles ]SIorris, Hannah Gifford, Robert Sniitli. Josiali Shuiuway, Patrick 
Hamilton, John Walsworth, Daniel Smith, Milo Comstock, D. Torn'v. Davis I). Ben- 
nett, John Powers, Anson Jackson, Lyman Pease, Silas Simmons, Lewis Xiekerson, 
Nelson Bratlish, William Edmonds, Curren Bradish, Levi Shumway, Daniel Gleason, 
•Samuel Davis, Stephen Fitch, Aaron S. Baker, William Foster, Elias Dennis, Nathan 
Pelton, Turner Stetson, William Jackson, John Arnold, Nathan Comstock, Betsy 
Mapes, Joseph Pratt, Abram West, Thomas Sachrider, Daniel Odell, William H. 
Rowe, Moses Bugby, Samuel Weldon, Jeremiah Stone, David Wiley, Noah Norton,. 
Asher Stevens, Samuel Bm-ton, John Ccnnstock, Joseph Beals, John Murphy, Samuel 
,S. L. Maples, David Bixby, Charles Haviland, Benjamin Mather, John Chapman, 
-Jacob Brown, Jacob Jackson, Job S. Comstock, Elijah Johnson. Samuel Carpenter, 
•Cassander Peters, William Brooks. Josiah Baker, Seth Lammon, N. W. Cole, Reuben 
Davis, John Fitch, Daniel Walsworth. Xeliemiah Bassett, Ephriam Dunbar, Isaac 
Dean and C. N. Ormsby. 

In the fall of 1830 Isaac French came to Adrian and built a hotel on the corner now 
occupied by Crane & Mason. In 1836 he sold it to Pomeroy Stone. 

In the year 1831 Turner Stetson built the Hotel now known as the Gibson House, 
but for many years kept by Sampson Sammons as the Mansion House. Hiram Kid- 
der, of Ontario county. New York, settled in what is now known as the Valley, 
midway between Tecumseh and Adrian, where he entered land for his brother, Na- 
than B. Kidder. Dr. Bebee settled in Adrian, and the next year died of small-pox. 
Joseph II. Cleveland opened a store on the north side of Maumee street, near the 
river. 

During lasi James D. Van Hoevenburgh and Charles Blackmar entered, and soon 
•afterwards Van Hoevenburgh settled on lands within the limits of the township of 
•Somerset as at present organized; and Samuel Aiken, Peter Benson and Pontius 
Hooper entered lands within the limits of Moscow. 

Charles Blackmar settled in the township of Cambridge in 1829 and died of cholera 
in August, 1834. 

The year 1832 was a stirring year in the annals of our young comity. In the spring. 
Black Hawk, with a band of warriors, crossed the Mississippi river and advanced 
through the settlements. He was attacked by a body of Illinois militia, and then the 
Indians broke up into small parties and began an indiscriminate massacre of the in- 
habitants, still constantly advancing toward Chicago, which seemed their common 
objective point. Chicago was then an insignificant trading post, protected by a fort ; 
but the probabilities were, if that post shoidd fall, the Indians, encouraged by its fall, 
would advance through the infant settlements of Northern Indiana and Southern 
Michigan to the Canada line. Word came to the infant settlements of the southern 
tier of counties that the Indians were advancing, and along with it the call of the In- 
4iian Agent at Chicago for military assistance. There were enough Indians within 



LENAWEE COUNTY. 19 



fthese counties to cut the throats of tlie white inhabitants, if aroused, and perhapi? 
the best way to defend tlieir own homes was to meet the enemy beyond the borders 
of the Territory. Col. Jolm W. Brown had been promoted to the command of the 
-third brigade of Michigan militia, and without waiting for orders from the Governor, 
-he ordered liis brigade to rendezvous at the village of Niles. The eiglith (Lenawee) 
xegiment, then commanded by Col. William McNair, responded nobly to the call, and 
was in the shortest possible time ready for the order to march. 

The regianent was composed of two companies from Teciuiiseh, one from Adrian, 
and one from the village of Clinton, which had sprung into existence since the com- 
j)letion of the Chicago road. Gen. Brown's order required Col. McNair to take only 
volunteers. Said the order : "Take no man with you who is not a volunteer. Let 
ifche timid return to their homes." When the regiment was ilrawn up into line, the 
.order was read, and all who desired to return home were ordered to step four paces 
■io the front ; but not a man advanced. The reguneut took up its line of march by the 
ivay of the Chicago road for Niles, the place appointed for the brigade rendezvous. 

The reader can hardly appreciate the feelings of mothers and children as they saw 
tcvery able bodied man move off to battle with the Indian foe, hundreds of miles away. 
It is true the danger was then distant, but their minds were keenly alive to the terrors 
of Indian warfare. It was then not twenty years since the horrible massacre at the 
j-iver Eaisin, only a few miles off, the details of which were all too well remembered 
to beget a feeling of secm-ity. The Indians living in their midst were friendly, it is 
true, but such was the known treachery of the Indian character that they lived in 
<li'ead lest even these friendly Indians should suddenly go upon the war path, 
.and fall upon them in their improtected condition. But the Indians remained friend- 
ly, and before the brigade left Niles, the regidar army, under Gen. Atkinson, defeated 
.the hostile Indians and captured Black Hawk. The troops were sent home with the 
.thanks of the commanding general for the spirit displayed in their prompt response 
to the call of their country. 

In the winter of 1831-3 Congi-ess made an appropriation to build a turnpike road 
from LaPlaisance bay to the Chicago road, through Teciunseh, and in the fall of 183'.i 
JVIusgrove Evans, of Tecumseh, was employed to survey the route. The jobs were 
Jet in the spring of 183.3, and the road was completed during the sunnner of 183.5. 

Mr. A. C. Osborn says Cornelius Millspaw was the first settler in township five 
.south, of range one east, now called Woodstock, and he thinks Millspaw settled there 
in 1829 ; but a reference to the ti-act book shows that Millspaw entered his land Octo- 
ber 27tli, 1832. He may, however, have "squatted" on his land, and been unable to 
enter it sooner than 1832; but however that may be, Mr. Jesse Osburn was either the 
first or second settler, and his family award the post of honor to Millspaw. Jesse Os- 
burn sold his land in Tecumseh, and August 27th, 1832, entered land in Woodstock, 
and probably moved on it that fall. John Gilbert located land in that township in 
1835, but tradition says he was only a speculator and held his land for that purpose 
only. 

In June, 1832, the Legislative Council organized two townships in Branch comitj'— 
Coldwater and Prairie River,— and in March, 1833, organized township five south, in 
ranges one, two and three east, Lenawee county, into a new township, and named it 
Franklin. The first township meeting was held at the house of Hiram Reynolds. 
By act approved March 7th, 183i, tov^^lships eight and nine and fractional township 
ten south, in ranges one, two and three east, were erected into the township of Fair- 
field. It will be observed that in this act also the Territorial Legislature asserted its 
authority over the strip of territory which afterwards was casus belli of the Toledo 
war. Townships seven south, in ranges on^, two and three east, were erected into a 
new township and named Lenawee. The first township meeting was held at the 
school house one mile east of William Edmonds, in said township. Township six 
.south, in range four east, was organized into a township and named Raisin. The first 
i+ownship meeting was held at the house of Amos Hoeg. Townships seven, eight. 



20 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

nine, and fractional t'owiisliip ten, in range foiu-, east, were organized into a to-miship 
and named Tahnyra, first township meeting to be held at the house of Cains C. Rob- 
inson ; and townships live and six sontli, in range five east, were made into a township 
named Macon, first township meeting to be held at the house of Henry Graves. All 
that part of Tecumseh comprised in the north half of township six south, in ranges 
one, two and three east, being the north half of the present townships of Rollin, Rome- 
and Adraiii, was detached from Tecumseh and attached to the township of Logan. 
This statenientof the organization of townships in 1834 is here made out of its chrono- 
logical order because with this chapter this historical sketch of the settlement of eastern 
Lenawee will close. For the same reason another enterprise Avhich had its inception 
in 1833, but was carried out later, which exerted a large influence in the settlement 
of the western part of the county, deserves to be noticed here. 

By an act of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, approved Apri'i 
3'2nd, 1833, the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Company was incorporated, with a nom- 
inal capital stock of one million dollars, in shares of fifty dollars each, and when one 
thousand shares were subscribed for, the corporators thereby and thenceforth became a 
' body corporate and politic." Stephen B. Comstock, Benjamin F. Stickney, Davitf 
White, Cains C. Robinson, Darius Comstock, Asahel Finch, E. Conant Winter, Setli 
Dunham, Silas Holbrook, Stephen Vickery and Edwin II. Lotliniji wmc Die corpora- 
tors, and were authorized to build a railroad, with single or doulilc track, from Fort 
Lawrence through or as near as practicable to the village of Adrian, and thence on 
the most eligible route to such point on the Kalamazoo river as they may deem most 
proper and useful. The corporators were to begin the road within three years, finish 
it to Adrian in six years, one-half of it in fifteen years, and the whole road within 
thirty years. That part of the road beyond Adrian was afterwards abandoned. At 
the time of the inception of this project there not only was no railway west of Lake 
Erie, but none in New^England. There was a railroad between Albany and Schenec- 
tady operated with horse power and stationary engines, and a few short routes in 
Pennsylvania, but American railroad building had just begun. Tlie sul)scriptioii 
books for the Erie and Kalamazoo Kaihoad Ccmipany were opened ^larch, 1834, and 
the first -IJSOjOOO of stock was subscribed and the Company fully organized before tlie 
end of May. The work was immediately commenced. It was designed to use horse 
power only on the road, and therefore the road was built with wooden rails. It was sO' 
far finished that cars connnenced to run in 1836. It was run by horse power until 
June, 1837, when the road was ironed with strap rail and a locomotive was purchased. 
The successful completion of this enterprize shortened routes and cheapened fare? 
and freight so materially as to mark a new epoch in the history of tlie county. 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



m. BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

1833 TO 1S;30. 

The beginn'mg of the year 1833 found the Bean Creek comitry an unbroken wilder- 
uess. Nine years had elapsed since the first settlement was made witliin the county 
Jimits, and although considerable encroachments had been made on the dense forests, 
yet comparatively but little had been done. From Tecumseh, as a center, settlers had 
made their way through the township of Franklin and some settlements had been 
made in Cambridge. The principal part of the settlers were in the region of country 
between the two principal points, Tecumseh and Adrian. From Adrian settlers had 
veutured as far west in Dover as Robert and Bart White's, who lived on either side of 
the road where the Raisin crosses the line between sections two and eleven. Settlers 
had occupied the most eligible lots in Madison, and commenced on the two northerly 
tier of sections in Fairfield, but the southern part of Dover, the townships of Seneca. 
Medina, Hudson and Rollin were yet untouched by the pioneer hand, and but one or 
two families had settled in Woodstock. The Government had made a military road, 
— the Chicago, — leading from Detroit to Chicago, which passed through the extreme 
jiorth part of the county. It was surveyed in 1835 and built in the succeeding years, 
probably before 1830, but for years it was but little better than a quagmire. The road 
followed the old Indian trail along the highest lands, but a single belt six rods in 
width, through interminable forests, afforded the sun but little opportunity to dry the 
soil, and it required but little travel to nuike the newly plowed road almost impassible. 
Eat there are some men possessed of such adventm'ous spirits that their covn-age seems 
to rise with increased and increasing difflcidties. A few such men as these had scat- 
tered themselves along the Chicago road, built themselves log cabins, and commenced 
keeping hotel, ministering to the wants of adventurous emigrants and thirsty savages. 
There were perhaps two such within the limits of Woodstock, one such in Somerset, 
.and one in Moscow ; but none of these were properly within the valley of Bean Creek_ 
In 1832 the General Government surveyed another military road, from La Pleasance 
Bay to the Chicago road in the township of Cambridge. This road was not finished 
luitil 1835, but its completion afforded a valuable route to the westward bound emi- 
trrant. In 18;2S the Legislative Council appointed commissioners to lay out a territorial 
road "from Port Lawrence (Toledo) in the county of Monroe, running in the most 
tlireet and eligible route through Blissfield and Logan, and also through the village of 
Adrian, to intersect the Chicago road on the most direct and eligible route." This 
road was surveyed soon after to pass through the towaiships of Rome and Woodstock, 
just touching the corner of Rollin, but the westerly portion of it was not completed 
until 1835. This road passed to the north-eastward of Devil's Lake, and thus it will 
be seen all the northerly lines of travel led the emigrant by and around the Bean 
Creek country. « 

Jai the year 1833 the Legislative Council of the territory established a road com- 
mencing at Vistida, (Toledo,) in the town of Port Lawrence, running on the most 
eligible route to the forks of the Ottawa river, thence westerly in towns nine, south 
■oil the most eligible route to the eastern boundary line of the State of Indiana. There 
was but little done on this road until 1834 and 1835, and there was not then enough 
done on it to make it in any sense a thoroughfare. 

Thus matters stood in 183:3. The valley of the Raisin had been sparsely settled, 
while beyond to the westward, half of Lenawee and all of Hillsdale counties was an 
Jjjberminable forest. On the 4th of June, 1831, Ira Alma, of Seneca county, New York, 
..had entered the west half of the northwest quarter of section twenty in the township 



22 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

of Rolliii, and on the tenth clay of May, 1832, Addison J. Comstook entered the east 
half of the northeast (luaiter of section thirty-two, in the same township, bat nothing, 
was done towards effecting a settlement in either of those years. Hiram Kidder set- 
tled in " the valley" in 1831, and early in the year 18:3:3 visited the Bean creek country^ 
and on the sixth day of February entered the southwest quarter and west half of the 
southeast quarter of section six and the northwestfractional quarter of section seven, 
town seven south, range one east, now the township of Hudson. This land he en- 
tered in the names of Daniel Hudson, Nathan B. Kidder and William Young, all of 
Ontario county. New York. 

About the first day of April, 18^3, Joseph Beal and his son William, equipped for a 
land hunt, departed from the village of Adrian, and taking a southwesterly coui-se,. 
reached Bean creek in the vicinity of where Morenci now stands. They then pro- 
ceeded up the creek until they reached the bend in the southerly part of to\vn severi* 
south (Hudson), and then taking their bearings by the aid of a pocket compass, they 
proceeded through the wilderness on a straight line as near as possible for Devil's 
Lake, the headwaters of the Bean. They came out on the banks of Round Lake. After 
considerable explorations thereabouts they returned to Adrian through town six 
south, range two west (Rome). At that time, April, 1833, the north half of towns 
seven south in ranges one and two east (Rollin and Rome) formed a part of the town- 
ship of Tecumseh, and the south half of those towns formed a part of the town-- 
ship of Logan. Several other exploring parties visited the region of the lakes during 
that month, and the result of such explorations was, that May 1st David Steer en- 
tered seven or eight lots, and on May 3d William Beal and Erastus Aldrich entered! 
their land, all in the township of Rollin, as now constituted. During the early part of 
May, say about the sixth, seventh or eighth days, the Hon. Orson Green visited Dev- 
il's Lake, and slept under the blue vault of heaven on the land he afterwards entered 
and now owns. At that time, says Mr. Green, there were no inhabitants save Indians, 
in all this country, from the Chicago road to and into the States of Ohio and Indiana. 

At this time Charles Ames and his brothers and brothers-in-law were contempla- 
ting emigrating to Michigan. They had arranged to come to the house of a frienc? 
living in the vicinity of Detroit, and to explore the country from there. Nathan B. 
Kidder, Esq., learning of their intentions, described to them in glowing terms the 
advantages of the Bean creek country, as he had learned them from his brother 
Hiram, then already an inhabitant of Lenawee county, and advised Mr. Charles 
Ames and Thomas Pennock, whom it had been arranged should look land for the 
party, to proceed at once to the house of his brother Hiram who would, he said, show 
them the loveliest county under the sun. They acted' on his advice, and in the 
month of May, 1833, visited Lenawee county and under the lead of ]Srr. Hiram Kid- ■ 
der explored the Bean creek country. Mr. Kidder was a practical surveyor, and was 
well acquainted with the country. He had deliberately selected land in what he 
deemed the most eligible part of the country. He intended to locate there and desired 
neighbors, and it is not strange, therefore, that he should convince tire land lookere- 
sent by his brother that their best interests would be subserved by locating in his 
neighborhood. 

Charles Ames, on the 20th day of :May, 1833; entered the east half of the southwest 
(luarter of section seven. His brother-in-law, Thomas Pennock, entered the west 
half of the southwest quarter of section seven. On the 7th day of June Charles Ames- 
entered the southeast quarter of section one and the northeast quarter of sectior?. 
twelve, in town seven south of range one west, now the township of Pittsford, and 
Thomas Pennock the southeast quarter of tlie southeast quarter of the same section.' 
and township. Having made these purchases,. Ames and Pennock returned to the 
East to prepare their families for removal. 

On the KJth day of June, Iliram Kidder entered the east half of the southeast quar- 
ter, and the west half of tlie north part of the northwest fractional quarter of section 
eight, town seven south, range one ea.st (Hudson), in the name of his brother, Nathan 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 2^ 



B. Kidder, and on the 37th day of July entered the west half of the northeast quarter 
of section seven, same town, in the names of Hudson, Kidder and Young. 

In the month of May, 1833, Ebenezer Gay, of the State of New Hampshire, an old* 
man and a widower, came to Michigan and stopped at the house of Cornelius Mills- 
j)aw, on the Chicago road near the nortliwest corner of town five south, of range one 
east (now "Woodstock). According to Father Gay there was only one other house 
near, and that was the house of .James D. Van Houvenlnn-gh, also on the Chicago 
road, and within the limits of the present township of Somerset. He busied himseir 
in the month of May looking land. While thus engaged, a man named Richard L. 
Lewis came there and joined him in his journeying through the wilderness. They 
passed quite through town five south, one west,- into town six south now called 
WheatlancL They came to a piece of land having a large spring on it. Gay said 
**I will enter that," and took its description. They both reachad the land office in 
Monroe the same day, but Lewis just enough in advance to enter Gay's spring lot. 
That day was the seventh day of June, and it is quite remarkable that the first land 
purchased in Wheatland and the first in Pittsford were entered at the land office 
the same day. Gay entered land in both towns five and six south (Somerset and 
Wheatland), but Lewis in only the latter. Mr. Gay having secured his land, imme- 
mediately wrote his son Timothy, who was then living in Albany, to come on and. 
make himself a home in the wildernsss. 

On the first day of June, 18.33, Stephen Lapham bought land on section four, iu 
town six south, one east (Rollin), and inunediately built a shanty and moved a maa 
into it. The man's name was Levi Thompson, and to him must be accorded the 
fame of being the first settler in the Valley of the Bean, Erastus Aldrich settled, ire 
August, on section nine, and in the month of October Joseph Beal and his son Porter 
settled on section ten. 

Samuel Gregg, then of Adrian, piloted a party of mill men into the Beau creek- 
country in search of water power. They left Adrian July 4th, 18.33, going by the way 
of Mudge's Corners and Samuel Jordan's, this last near the south bend of the Raisin, 
which was, Gregg says, the " very verge of civilization in that direction." They fol- 
lowed an old Indian trail, until they reached the creek on what is now the site of the 
village of Canandaigua. It was dark when they arrived. They passed the night in 
an old Indian wigwam. lu the morning they took their bearings and found they 
were at the southeast corner of section one, town eight south, range one east. They 
resumed their journey, and followed Bean creek to a little stream just below where- 
the village of Morenci now stands, since called Silver creek. They did not find water- 
power to suit, and returned to Adrian. Gregg was so pleased with the country he- 
wrote his brother-in-law, William Cavender a glowing description. Cavender visitec'^ 
Michigan in August of that year, and selected lands on section six in town eight 
south, range two east, and on section one town eight south, range one east, compris- 
ing the site of the village of Canandaigua and lands adjoining. The land was entered 
at the land office the second day of September, the Seneca lands in his own name,, 
the Medina land in the name of Samuel Jordan. But this latter was afterwards- 
deeded to Cavender, according, no doubt, to an agr-eement entered into at the time the 
land was taken up. 

On the 14th day of August, 18:53, Mr. Iliranr Kidder took with him from the Valley, 
George Lester and Henry C. Western, proceeded to his Bean creek pm-chase, and 
rolled up the body of a log house and put a roof on it. This, the first log house within 
the limits of Hudson, was twenty-five feet square, and in the fall was finished off in 
the heighth of style, with chinked and mudded cracks, stick chimney, and puncheon, 
floor. 

Yielding to the solicitations of his father, on the last day of August, 1833, Timothy 
Gay, wife and three children, left Albany, in the State of New York, and arrived at 
the house of James Van Houvenburgh, in Somerset, on the night of the 18th day of 
September, 183:3. Tlic old gentleman wrote them to stop at Cornelius Millspaw's, 



24 T HE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 

where lie boarded, but tlie house was passed in the night without being observed. 
The same vessel that brought the family across Lake Erie, brought also several stage 
coaches to be put on a line in the JState of Illinois. At Detroit, the agent pro- 
posed to Timothy Gay and the other men westward bound that if tlu'V wou'd lend a 
hand in putting the coaches together he would give them a free passage to their des- 
tination. The proposition was acceded to, and very soon the company were wallow- 
ing in the mud of the Chicago road. The ji)urney v/as a tedious one. Every house 
on the road was a tavern, and it was well it was so, for the progress was so slow that 
many houses of entertainment were necessary. Mrs. Gay and her children liad lived 
in the city, and to them the euiigrant's fare seemed poor enough, and on tlie journey 
out they nearly starved. At Osbonfs they inquired how far it was to Millspaw's. 
*• Two miles," was the answer. It was nearly dark, but the company pushed on, the 
Gays ])roposing to end their journey that iiiglit. ^Nlrs. Gay called out to the man in 
charge of the extra horses to go aliead and have the chickens cooked, and away he 
went. At the foot of a steep hill they were told they could save the ascent by taking 
a woods road around. The horses were reined into the by-road, but when the woods 
were fairly entered, the darkness was so great that the men liad to lead tlie liorses to 
keep them in the road. When they emen^'ed from the wood>, inglit had set in, in ear- 
nest, and they floundeivd on in the nnid and darkness, the two miles seeming inter- 
minable. At last they weiv eneouiaged hy the sight of a light, and soon weic at tlie 
door of a log house. A man ran out, looked into the coach, and asked, " Is this Mr. 
Gay and family?"' "Yes." "Come right in." It was the good Mr. Van llouven- 
burgh making his future neighbors welcome. In the darkness they had passed Mills- 
paw's unv.'ittingly, and traveled three instead of two ndles. IJut here, too, they found 
tlieir niessen-er. lie stopped at Millspaw's, but finding the house full, without re- 
vealing ^\ ho tin: passengers were, had pushed on and ordered supper at Van Ilouven- 
burg"s. And a royal good supper it was, too. . In the morning old Mr. Gay came over 
to see who the strangers were, and to his surprise and delight found his son and 
family. "Well, Nancy." said the old man, "you have got along at last. I don't 
:know l)ut we will all starve to death." The (.>ld iu:in had ague-))le;e'he(l until he 
seemed to have no blood in his veins, and it was no wondei- he felt gloomy. The old 
man had jn'oenred a little ]iieee ehojijied, and very soon a log house \\;h reatly for 
occupancy, although for years it had hnt one window, with a single six-lighted seven- 
"by-nine sash. Until Avinter there was no chimney in the house. 3Irs. (iay did the 
cooking for her family of eight to ten persons over an out-door fire. She had neither 
oven or bake-kettle, but in lieu thereof baked her bread in a deep spider, that had a 
can-to))ped cover fitted to it. Late in the fall, a stone hearth and a stick chimney 
were biult. The house was not large, and had two outside doors on opposite sides. 
When building the stone hearth they had to use large rocks, as flat stones could not 
be procured in sufficient quantities. They loaded the* stones on a stone-boat, drew it 
near the door, and then taking the oxen around, passed the chains through the house 
and drew the rocks in. This occasioned Mrs. Gay to write her Albany friends: 
'• We hav(i our house nearly done. They are now drawing the stones into the house 
•with two yoke of oxen." It was twenty years before her friends solved the mystery. 
The Gays cleared a small piece of land and sowed it to A\heat. Several families had 
moved into the township between the arrival of Ebenezer Gay and the arrival of 
Timothy and family. Heman Pratt, Horace White and Da\id Harrington came in 
June 8th, Elias Branch, June 1st, and Elias Alley came in December 8th. 

In October Hiram Kidder moved his family from the Valley to Bean creek. They 
arrived on the evening of Tuesday, the 29th. The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs 
Kidder, their children, Harriet, Calista, Addison, Maria and Nathan, and two men 
who assisted them in moving. The house was yet unfinished, and indeed it had no 
floors, doors nor windows. To the eastward it was twelve miles to the nearest abode 
of civilized man. Near the shores of Devil's Lake there was a solitary cabin, and 
ihere were a few houses along the Chicago road from fifteen to twenty miles distant. 



THE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 25 

1but all to the westwartl and southward was one vast wilderness. At about sunset on 
the first day of November, 1833, the Ames family arrived at the Kidder habitation. 
The party consisted of Charles Ames and wife, Miss Ball, a sister of Mrs. Ames, 
Elizabeth Ames, since Mrs. James Sprague, Henry, William, and Ezra Ames, and 
Alpheus Pi-att. Mr. Pratt had left his wife and child at the house of Mr. Lj-man 
Pease, about one mile west of Adrian, where they remained about one week, resting 
from the fatigues of the journey. The night before the most of the party had lodged 
at the house of Stephen Perkins, about four miles west of Adrian, and all that day 
had wended their way through the wilderness intervening between there and Bean 
creek. There was about four inches of snow on the ground. A wagon way had been 
imderbrushed among the trees, but covered with snow, it could only be follo^ved by the 
*' blazed" trees which marked its course. Mrs. Charles Ames had a seven-weeks old 
babe and was compelled to ride, but the girls. Miss Ball and Elizabeth Ames, walked 
nearly all the way, sitting down occasionally on a log by the roadside, they wi'img 
the water from their stockings, and then proceeded on their journey until it became 
necessary to repeat the operation. They found Mr. Kidder's house yet unfinished ; it 
lacked doors, windows and chinniey. The newcomers were welcomed and treated to 
the best the house afforded, a supper and a bed upon the floor. The next morning, 
one of the party relates, it w'as necessary to unload a barrel of pork before breakfast 
could be prepare<l. The barrel slipped from their hands and rolled away, about six 
rods down the hill. Charles, worn out by the jom-ney, and worried because of the 
Illness of his wife and babe, sat dov»'n on the barrel at the foot of the hill, and wished 
liiraself and family back to Buffalo. Vain wish ! Buffalo was more than a thousand 
miles to the eastward, over the frozen lake. No railways, Of even wagon roads, for 
many a mile between the actual and longed-for place of location. Sitting on and around 
that pork barrel, the prospects of the new colony were discussed, and an agreement 
reached to remain together five years, and {lien if the prospects were no better, they 
should be at liberty to divide and separately try their fortunes elsewhere. Indeed it 
was a time to try men's souls— in a wilderness, at the beginning of winter, twelve 
miles from the nearest house, dependant on their present store for subsistence 
through a long winter, without any means of securing help from friends without. It 
needed stout hearts and firm resolves to master the situation. After breakfast it was 
determined to first finish the house they had. Henry was a carpenter, and he pro- 
•ceeded to make the windows and doors; the others prepared the chinks and the 
sticks for the chinniey, Hiram Kidder taking the general supervision of the whole 
matter. In a few days the house was made quite comfortable, but the party was so 
large a part of the cooking had to be done out of doors, which, on account of the cold 
weather, proved disagreeable business for the ladies of the colony. 

While the Ames party were at Clinton, on their way in, they were accosted by a 
trapper and hunter with the query where they were going. They told him of tlie 
.Bean Creek Country, whither they were traveling, and enlarged upon the quality of 
land and quantity of game. Jesse Smith, for that was the hunter's name, said that 
he was land-looking, and if there was any good country out there he would see it. He 
threw his traps into one of the wagons, shouldered his gun, and marched on. He skir- 
mished around the party, frequently making them calls, until they reached the house 
of Stephen Perkins, on the last day of October. From there he went on a hunting ex- 
cursion, and a few days after the arrival of the party at the Creek he came in, and 
believing he had found the country for which he had been looking, he started for Mon- 
roe. As was usual with him, lie took a free course through the woods and the first 
night encamped alone in the woods in the vicinity of Devil's Lake. The next morn- 
ing he visited a temporary Indian camp near by, and after that visited the house of 
Mr. Thompson, who had settled near the lake, where he breakfasted. The next night 
he lodged at the house of a Mr. Taylor, on the east side of Kound Lake. The morn- 
ing after, Smith sent his baggage on to Adrian by a teamster and proceeded on foot 
toward the same place. In the vicinity of the Raisin he met a party of land-lookers, 



26 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

who were on their way to the lakes. He described to them the advantages of the 
Bean Creek Country. They were inclined to turn that way, and asked Mr. Smith tO' 
pilot them in. Two of the party were Oliver Purchase (a bachelor brother of the late 
William Purchase) and Samuel Vangauder. In two or three days Mr. Purchase had 
made his selection, and leaving Vangauder to take and keep possession, Messrs. 
Smith and Purchase started for the land office at Monroe. There they arrived on the 
sixth of November. Mr. Purchase entered his land on the same day, but for some as yet 
unexplained reason Mr. Smith's was not entered until the 15th of that month— about 
the time he thinks he arrived home at Albion, New York. Mr. Purchase returned tO' 
his land and immediately built a cabin, in which he and Vangauder wintered. 

But to return. As soon as Mr. Kidder's house had been made comfortable, the 
Ames family looked out a site for a house of their own. A spot on the bank of Hills- 
dale creek was selected, and the clearing of the ground and the cutting of logs 
commenced. The work had progressed but little when the provisions gave out, and 
Alpheus Pratt and Ezra Ames were sent to Adrian for a supply, distance eighteen 
miles. They accomplished the round trip in five days, having slept one night under 
their wagon in the "twelve mile woods." The wolves all night long howled for their 
entertaimnent a soul-stirring chorus, that, to use the words of one of the party, made 
their hair stand on end. They reached home in safety, however, bringing with them 
eight hundred pounds of provisions. By the time the party retiu-ned from Adrian 
the logs were prepared for the liouse, and tlie work of drawing them in and laying 
them up commenced ; but it was a new kind of work and moved slowly. In about 
five weeks, however, the house was so far completed that the Ames people moved 
into it. 

As soon as the Ames mansion was completed, Alpheus Pratt and Henry Ames 
looked about for places to build houses for themselves. Pratt selected land on seo- 
tion thirteen, town seven south, one west (Pittsford), since known as the Bush farm, 
and Ames selected the west sub-division of the northwt!st fractional quarter of sec- 
tion eighteen, town seven south, range one east (Hudson), the farm on which the 
venerable Clark Ames now lives. They entered their land at the :Monroe land office 
December 5th, 1833, and before the first day of January following, Pratt had a house 
far enough advanced to be inhabited. 

On the ninth day of November, 1833, Francis H. Hagaman and Gershom Bennett 
purchased of the United States lands on section 31, in Dover, and section 6, in Seneca, 
and the same month erected a log house near the northwest corner of the township of 
Seneca. Samuel Gregg, desirous of opening a road to his brother-in-law's new pur- 
chase, induced the lliyhwny Connnissioners of the township of Blissfield to layout 
the angling road leading northeasterly from Canandaigua. The surveying party went 
to Cavender's purchase, in tlie month of November, to connnence the siu-vey of the 
road. Mr. Gregg says they found Hagaman and Bennett there, having arrived the 
day previous and conmienced building a house. The sm-veying party encamped on. 
the ground that niglit. The next morning there was several inches of snow on the 
ground, and the survey was postponed for a while, but was executed and the road es- 
tablished during the winter of 1833 and '34. 

Late in the fall or in the early part of the winter, Silas Moore came to the house of 
Timothy Gay, on the Chicago road, and desired to be piloted to some land of his in 
town seven soutli, range one west (Wheatland). He had purchased the land of Lewis 
and was moving on it. Timothy Gay underbrushed a road for him to his land and 
helped him cut logs and roll up the body of a log house. They succeeded in getting 
the upper floor beams in position, but had not help enough to roll up the logs abov.b 
the beams. Tliey heard, a little way off, the sound of Indians cliopping. Mr. Gay 
said he would go and get the Indians to help roll the logs. The others laughed at the 
idea of an Indian rolling logs; but a way Vent Gay to find the Indians, They were 
chopping a be(> tree after the usual Indian style of hacking around and around. Mr. 
Gay made known his wants as well as he could, and they sliowed him the ti-ee was 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



about to tall, and proiuised to help him as soon as it should fall. lie waited patiently 
until the tree fell, and then, after a brief examination to see that the honey was not, 
wasting, they accompanied Mr. Gay and afforded valuable assistance in rolling the 
logs on to the building. This done, Mr. Moore brought out his jug and treated the In- 
dians to a drink of whisky. The Indians went away, but soon returned with a large 
quantity of very nice honey and in turn treated the white men. The jug again went 
around, and the white men and Indians parted very good friends. The precise date 
of the coming of Mr. !Moore into the Valley cannot now be ascertained, lie entered 
some land in liis own name November 2.3d, but whether that occurred before, at the 
time, or subsequent to his settlement does not appear. 

Beside those already named, the following persons purchased land in the Valley 
during 1&S3 : 

In town five south, one east (Wooilstock)— .lohn T. Comstock, "William Western, 
George F. Comstock, George Barnum, Philip Kennedy and George W. Clark. 

In town six south, one east (Rollin)— John Skane, George F. Comstock, Richarat 
Robinson, Jonathan Birdsall, Sands Brownell, James Hathaway, Iliram Beal, Ga- 
maliel Beal, Joseph C. Beal, Patience Comstock and Isaiah C. Sliller. 

In town seven south, one east (Hudson)— Charles Van Court, Henry Hayward, 
Oliver Purchase, Simeon Van Akin, Caleb N. Ormsby and Addison J. Comstock. 

In town five south, one west (Somerset)— Ileman Pratt, June 8th ; Horace White,. 
June 8th; Ellas Branch, June 1st; Elias Alley, December 3d; and David Herrington, 
June 8th. 

In town six south, one west (Wheatland)— Ebenezer Gay, June 7th ; Mahlon Brown,. 
Jacob Brown and Edmund B. Brown, Jime 6th. 

In town seven south, one west (Pittsford)— Thomas Hurdsman, Oct. 30th ; Jesse 
Smith, Nov. 15tli ; William and Elizabeth Ames, Dec. 5th ; Curren White, Sept. atth ; 
Stephen Wilcox, Nov. 20th; John Gustin, Dec. .5th and 6th; William Flowers, Oct.. 
30th; Isaac French, Dec. 10th. 

In town five south, two west (Moscow), a settlement had already been connnenced. 
Peter Benson had settled on the Chicago road, within the limits of that township, 
some time during the year 1831, but he remained only a short time. Land was also 
entered that year by, or for, tlie following named persons : Samuel Aiken, July 23d ; 
Osmond B. Blackmar, July 23d ; and Pontius Hooper, July 2d. 

In 18.32 Samuel Aiken settled on his land, and Lyman Blackmar, father of Osmond 
B. Blackmar, settled on the land entered in his son's name the year previous. At first 
he had only eighty acres of land, but by frequent purchases he became the owner of 
more than one thousand acres of choice land. He had one of the handsomest, farms 
in the county. Judge Blackmar lived on his farm until his decease, which occurred 
in the spring of 1874, forty-two years after his advent to the peninsula of Michigan.. 
Benjamin Fowle entered land in the township July 3d. 

In 1833 Charles Fowle settled on his land, and the following named persons entered 
lands : David Ililler, Jan. 2.5th ; Thomas Watts, July 15th ; John Simmons, June 1st ; 
Tompkins C. Dellivan, Charles T. Dellivan, Lucius Lyon, Alonzo 'Kies and Charles 
Stock, June 1st. 

Winter had now fairly settled down upon the settlements in the Valley; but the 
settlers were not idle. Aiding land-lookers, hunting the deer and wolf, and felling 
the forests, they were a busy set of men. Mrs. C. R. Beach, a daughter of Mr. Hiram 
Kidder, thus writes of the scenes or that winter: 

"The excitement of this first winter was an ever changing drama; the land-look- 
ers, the wolf trappers and deer hunters. I remember a manner of sleeping in those 
days that would hardly do in these modern times. It was a sort of general bed that 
covered the entire floor of the house. I have seen Mrs. Kidder picking her way over 
the heads and toes of this pavement of sleeping men, women and children, early in 
the morning, to get things started for breakfast that she might be able to supply the 
demands of all for breakfast. And every night brought a new set of lodgers." 



28 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

AikI now. reader, let ns iiuaginc ourselves ensconsed beside one of those old fire- 
plaees, filled with burning logs, and listen to some of the tales of those days. 

"An adventurer (one of the kid gloved kind), dressed in broadcloth, with beaver 
hat and calf boots, anxious to become a land speculator, started on foot from Adrian 
to the Bean Creek Countrj-. In the evening one of the children reported to Mrs. Kid- 
der that something white out in the bushes kept flopping its wings. Observing it for 
a moment, the object left the brush and came to the door. Mrs. Kidder was much 
surprised to find it a man. Our would-be speculator had been thrown down so 
many times by his long-toed boots that, fearing his fine clothes would be spoiled, he 
had changed his habit by putting his white cotton-flannel under-clothes on over his 
broadcloth, and thus became the white fowl that flopped its wings to the terror of 
the children." 

"]Mr. Kidder was awakened one night by the squealing of some hogs in an enclosure 
near by. A bear had entered the enclosure, killed one hog, and, seating himself on 
the carcass, proceeded to hold the other hog in fond embrace xnitil it, too, was dead." 

"One night JMr. Kidder was absent, having gone out that morning with some land- 
lookers. :Mrs. Kidder put the children in bed, and laid dowm too, hopiii-; ;it Irast to 
get a little rest. She thought of wolves, bears and Indians until she fell asleep. ,Soon 
after she was awakened by a noise like the gnawing and crunching of bones. She 
arose in terror to see which of her darlings had become a prey to the beasts. She went 
quickly to the fire-place, and taking a fire brand, turned toward the door. She found 
a horse in the doorway ; the blanket which had served as a door now served as a 
headKlress for the horse. The horse was neither in the house nor out of doors. 
There was no floor on that side of the house, and as he rested across the log that 
.served as a door-sill his feet could not reach the ground. lie could neither advance 
or retreat. In this dilemma he had seized a tin pan and was biting it, which made 
the peculiar noise that had alarmed Mrs. Kidder." 

One morning a stranger appeared at Mr. Kidder's door and introduced himself as 
Francis II. Ilagaman, Mr. Kidder's nearest neighbor, living only twelve miles away. 

But few remain of those who called the Kidder. settlement home in 1833-34:. Mrs. 
Kidder, the first white woman settler in the Valley of the Bean south of Devil's Lake, 
still lingers among us. Then she was in the vigor of early womanhood. The follow- 
ing description of that young wife and mother as she appeared amidst the scenes of 
the October evening when she first gazed on a sunset from her pioneer cabin door, is 
(pioted from a paper prepared by Mrs C. R. Beach, once before quoted in tliese pages. 
It is a daughter's fond recollection of her mother's early loveliness, but it will be none 
the less interesting on that account: "A log cabin on the brow of a hill ; at its base a 
little stream whose ripple could be heard at its summit. It was sunset. From the 
aperture left for a doorway the view is obsti'ucted by dense forests. Before us, cfti 
the right hand, on the left hand, all around us on every side, were deep, dark forests. 
The departing sun gilded for awhile the beautiful canopy of brown, crimson and 
yellow leaves, and then the shades of night drew on and all were wrapped in im- 
penetrable gloom. At this moment another home, with its vacant places beside the 
cheerful fireside, the school and college days, with well remembered class-mates, all 
<?ame back on memory's wings to add intensely to home-sick feelings, which, despite 
strong endeavor, came over the sjnrit of that young wife and mother as, standinc; 
there with head uncovered but wreathed in golden curls, she views her future home. 
Those golden locks are silvered now ; those strong arms are palsied by the lapse of 
years ; but her heart seems as young and blithe as ever." Yes, the kind-hearted 
pioneer woman is in the sere and yellow leaf of life, but some of her associates of 
1833 remain to call her blessed. Alpheus Pratt, Henry, "William and Ezra Ames and 
•Jesse .Smith remain, all, too, save Ezra, in the autumn of life, waiting to be sum- 
moned over the river. Old Uncle Simeon Van Akin, himself more feeble than Mrs. 
Kidder, exclaimed, not long since: "Whj-, there's ]Mrs. Kidder; she kept us from 
starving I'' 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 29 

The following story is told as illustrative of Mrs. Kidder's kindness of heart : "She 
liad one child— a daughter— in delicate health, one day a party of twenty-six persons 
arrived at her house. They. had been lost in the woods and were very hungi-y. The 
last provisions had been cooked, ]Mr. Kidder had gone for a supply, and it was hoped 
these would last the family until his return. It took several days to go to market 
th(Mi, and the day of return was by no means certain ; but Mrs. Kidder could not re- 
sist the appeals of hungry fellow-beings. Iler entire store was placed before the 
lunigry crowd. Still they were not satisfied, and one woman bemoaned her fate in 
bitter terms. Soon one of the boys came in and said : 'Mamma, is there not some- 
thing Maria can eat?' 'No,' said Mi-s. Kidder. Soon he came again. 'Ain't there 
some potatatoes that Maria can have? "Was not some dropped around the hr)le whence 
they were taken?' No, my son ; there are none.' Soon after. Maria fainted. 'Why ! how 
long is it since that child has had anything to eat?' asked the lady who was making 
such a fuss. 'None since morning,' said Mrs. Kidder. 'God bless the child !' went up 
in chorus from twentv-six voices. '"Why !' said the lady, I have just had something to 
eat, and I am repining while the child is starving.' Just then the signal gun an- 
nounced the arrival of Mr. Kidder on the hill, east of the creek, and summoning aid to 
descend the dangerous declivity. It was ten o'clock when the wagon reached tlie 
door that night, but supper had to be prepared for the family and the guests before 
sleep was thought of." 

Besides the exciting scenes incident to land explorations, it became necessary for 
our settlers to become acquainted with their Indian neighbors. The Indians here 
were the Potawatomies, who had been crowded by the settlement of the eastern por- 
tion of the State into this then unbroken forest. They had a village or camping 
ground in the southwest part of the township known as Somerset, and another in the 
southwestern part of Pittsford. Of these villages Meteau and Bawbeese were the 
chiefs. The principal Indian trail extendetl from Detroit to Chicago, nearly where 
the Chicago road now is. A ti'ail left this in the northeastern part of the county, and 
lead off, through the townships of Dover and Medina, to Defiance. Another left the 
main trail near Silver Lake, skirted Devil's Lake, passed near the Kidder settlement, 
to Squawfield, in southwestern Pittsford. Another connected the Indian villages; 
and still another, leaving the main trail at .Jonesville, passed through Squawfield, 
Medina and Morenci, and terminated at the rapids of the Maimiee. These were the In- 
dian thoroughfares, and into them came, and from them went many lesser trails, all as 
well known to an Indian as our roads are to the present denizens of the land. It was 
desirable they should be friends ; it was quite possible they might on acquaintance 
develop into enemies. Mrs." Gay relates that at first a single native visited her house. 
He stayed all day, but not a word would he speak, and the family concluded he could 
neither speak nor understand English. Mr. Timothy Gay was from home. Old Mr. 
Gay, a hired man and the children composed the family that day. Mrs. Gay resolved 
that no hindrance should be placed in the way of amicable relation, so when dinner 
was ready she, by signs, asked the Indian to sit at tlie table and eat dinner with the 
family. lie accepted the invitation and behaved in a very orderly manner. During 
the meal conversation, among the circle, turned upon the Indians.— their character and 
doings,— and tlie Indians were fully discussed. Mrs. Gay had recently come from the 
State of New York, and had heretofore lived at a great distance fi-om the Indians.. 
Her ideas of Indian character had been formed by reading the opinions of philanthrop- 
ic minds, and she Avas in full sympathy with poor ^'Lo." The other members of the 
family did not agi-ee with her notions and instanced the many acts of cruelty connnit- 
ted by them as arguments against the Indian character, but Mrs. Gay defended them 
on the ground that they had first been ill treated by the whites. Notwithstanding the 
discussion was very free, the harshest expression against the Indians was made by Mr. 
Gay in summing up his case: "Well, they are cruel cusses anyway." The Indian 
carried himself as stoically as if he really did not understand a Avord of what was said. 
At evening the Indian went away. But Mrs. Gay was very much sui-prised the next 



30 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

tlay when anotlier Indian made his appearance at her honse unannounced. He was a 
tall man of noble ])earing, and was dressed, as for a State occasion, in blue frock coat, 
pants and vest, and had three gold medals on his breast. He was evidently a man of 
some distinction among his people. He seated himself without speaking a word, and 
soon after the Indian visitor of tlie pre\-ious day made his appearance. There the two 
sat, close observers of all that passed, but speechless. Once during the forenoon 
Mrs. Gay went to the hearth to look at her yeast, which was being prepared for her 
baking. As she uncovered the yeast vessel she was surprised to hear the ejaculation, 
"Turnpike !" She looked up and found both the Indians peering over her head at the 
yeast. Smiling, to reassure the natives and to draw them out, she asked, "What you 
call him?" but not a word could she get out of either of them. Their presence at the 
dinner table again this day brought up the subject of yesterday's conversation, and 
again Mrs. Gay assumed the task of defending tlie Indians, and, as some excuse for 
their conduct, instanced the fact that Michigan land had been purchased of them at 
two and a-half cents an acre, "and now," said Mrs. Gay, "the Government is selling 
to settlers for one dollar and a (luarter an acre." The Indians ate as though they 
heard not, and resumed tlieir waiting and watching attitude of the forenoon and day 
previous. Along towards niglit the babe became restless and cried a considerable. 
Mrs. Gay tiled in vain to quiet him, and at last she said, "If you don't be still I will 
have this Indian carry you off." The child continuing to cry, she said, "Here, Indi- 
an, carry this baby oif." "Where to, mam?" said the Indian, in pretty good English. 
Mrs. Gay was startled, but she determined not to appear alarmed, so she said, "O, 
anywhere." "I don't know," said the Indian. At night the two Indians withdrew, 
but on their next visit, and ever after, were talkative enough, and seemed to have no 
difficulty in speaking or understanding English ; and the tribe ever after were the fast 
friends of Mr. Gay's family. One of Mrs. Gay's two visitors was named She-gau-ken 
and the other Kesus. 

We shall have occasion to refer to two other Indians freciuently — Mag-in-a-swot 
and Me-mag-in-a-swot. ;Mag-in-a-swot was the brother-in-law of Meteau. He was a 
noble man and so peaceful in his disposition that he had received the sobnquet of the 
Peace Chief. Me-mag-in-a-swot was a good-for-nothing, drunken Indian, possess- 
ing a wonderful faculty for getting into difficulty and making himself disagi-eeable 
generally. 

The reader has already, perhaps, guessed what the Indians meant by the ejacula- 
tion, "Turnpike." They had seen the builders of the Chicago road heap up the dirt 
in oval form, and had been told it was a turnpike, and wlien they saw the light yeast 
in the same form they named it turnpike. 

She-gau-ken was young, good-looking, and very playful. One day, being at the 
house and in one of his playful moods, he turned the yeast over, and Mrs. Gay took 
up a stick and chased him out of doors. He stuck his head in at the door and said : 
"Squaw Nancy plenty mad?" He went to the shop and told William (the Indians 
always called Timothy, William) "Squaw Nancy plenty mad." Mr. Gay asked : 
"What did you do?" "Me spill turnpike." 

Indians like fair dealing, and will not trade with those who prove to be dishonest, 
either with them or with other white people. A story in point is t<jld by Mrs. Gay. 
One day a trade was pending between one of the Indians and herself, but she had not 
the right change. The neighbors were unable to change her money, and she had 
applied to the shopkeeper, but was told he had no change. The Indian visited the 
store and came back in a great rage. He said, "Him plenty cheat; he have heap of 
s/iunia/i." The shopman had offered to purchase his stuff, and to induce him to 
trade had shown him a handful of coin. 

One day She-gau-ken brought a lot of their wares to trade with Mrs. Gay. She told 
him she would give him so much napinah (flour) and so much shunlah (money). 
"Good squaw Nancy, give whisky?" "No; Indian must not drink whisky." "Ah, 
good squaw Nancy, give little whisky." "No, She-gau-ken, no whisky." A woman 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 31 



happening to be there said, "Talte them to my house; I'll give whisky." "No," said 
She-gau-ken ; "plenty cheat." Mr. Branch, who lived some three miles west on the 
Chicago road, was in the other part of the house, used as a store. He called to the In- 
dian, "Take them to my house; I give whisky." "No; me no take to Branch house; 
plenty water whisky. Good Squaw Nancy, give whisky." After teasing Mrs. Gay 
awhile, She-gau-ken said, "Good Squaw Nancy, take 'em." 



18.34.— The Kiddek Settlement. 

Charles and William Ames were absent from the settlement during the w inter, 
working at their ti-ade (shoemaking) in Detroit. 

On the 23d day of January, Charles, the six-year-old son of Alpheus Pratt, was lost 
in the woods. Mr. Pratt was chopi>ing not very far from his house. The little boy 
had gone to his father to call him to supper. Mr. Pratt coming in soon after, was 
<asked where Charley was. He had not seen Charley, and fears were at once enter- 
tained that he was lost. Mr. Pratt at once retm-ned to the woods and searched until 
dark, but could not find the child. He returned to the house for his lantern, to con- 
tinue the search. Mrs. Pratt went alone, on foot, nearly a mile through the woods, to 
the house of Charles Ames, and informed Henry and Ezra Ames of the affair, and 
they, immediately procuring the assistance of Kidder and Tabor, joined in the search. 
The father had found the boy's track. This they attempted to follow, but as there 
was a crust on the snow, they found it a difficult task. They continued the search for 
a long time, until they became tired, cold and discoui'aged, and concluding the boy 
could not be found, the assistants gave u]> the search and built a fire to warm them- 
selves, also to serve as a protection against wild beasts. The father, intent on finding 
his child, paid no attention to their proceedings, but went forward, calling, "Charley! 
Charley !" and soon heard the answering voice of little Charley. Clasped in the anns 
of a grateful father, the boy was taken to the fire. He was benumbed and his feet 
were frozen. The child told of having seen dogs in the woods, and no doubt was en- 
tertained but that the boy had been visited in his wilderness wanderings by wolves, 
which, for some unexplained reason, did not harm him. Who will say he was not 
providentially preserved? To reach iiome was the object next to be attained, but their 
whereabouts Avas only a matter of conjecture. They supposed themselves to be west 
and south of the settlement, and accordingly they directed their course towards the 
northeast as well as they could, having only the north star for a guide. After some 
hours' traveling, they struck the well-known Indian trail about three miles west of 
Charles Ames' house. They arrived home about sunrise, and restored the boy to the 
arms of an almost despairing mother. The party were unable to tell where tliey found 
the boy, but suppose it to have been a little south of the village of Pittsford. 

In the month of February Thomas Pennock, being at Jackson, undertook to make 
the Kidder settlement. He reached the settlement on the Chicago road since called 
' Gamble ville all right, and hired a man to pilot him through the woods to the the Kid- 
der settlement. But shortly after starting it commenced snowing, and the driving 
iiuow so blinded and confused the guide that he became lost, and our tvavelers, after 
wandering about all day, were obliged to stay in the woods all night, and that, too, 
without any fire, for they were without the means of kindling one. They were wet 
and thoroughly chilled, and soon after night set in, the guide, saying^ie could stand it 
no longer, laid down in the snow to die. Pennock cut a switch and by frequently 
switching him briskly kept him up on his feet and saved his life. Dm-ing the night 
the storm abated, and the next morning Avas bright. The cheerful rays of the sun 
revived courage in their hearts, and taking the track, they followed it as best they 
could, and reached Gambleville about three o'clock in the afternoon, tired, faint and 
-hungi-y, 



32 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

Pennock staid there that night, and tlie next morning fonnd an Indian who said he 
knew where the white Chemhenuin, or white black-haired man— Kidder— lived on the 
Nebish, where there were two wigwams all alone. Committing himself to the 
guidance of the red man, they followed an Indian trail to Devil's Lake, and thence on 
a ti-ail leading to Squaw-field, in Pittsford, the camping ground of the tribe of which 
Meteau was chief. They crossed the Kidder -road a little east of Kidder's house. 
Here the Indian stopped and said to Pennock, " Go on this road and you will find two 
wigwams on the Nebish." This tribe called water nebish, but here used the term to 
signify the creek. Pennock gave his guide a silver dollar, and he turned back 
towards the lake, while Pennock iiroceeded to the settlement, Vfhere he arrived about 
the middle of the afternoon, sick and weary from the effects of travel and exposure. 
Pemiock afterwards became satisfied that the night he spent in the woods snoAV- 
bound, he staid someAvhere in the vicinity of the present village of Rollin. 

By an act of the Legislative Council, approved March 7th, 1834, several changes- 
wer'e made in the townships of Lenawee county. Towns seven south, in ranges 
one, two and three east (Madison, Dover and Hudson), were organized into a sepa- 
rate township and named Lenawee; towns eight, nine, and fractional ten south, 
in ranges one, two and three east (Fairfield, Seneca and Medina in Michigan, and 
Royalton, Chesterfi^d and Gorhani, now in Ohio), were organized into a township 
named Fairfield; and "all that part of the township of Tecumseh comprised iu 
townships six south, in ranges one, two and three east," (the north half of Rollin,. 
Rome and Adrian,) " was attachetl to the township of Logan." 

In the month of March, 1834, Sylvenus Estes came to the Bean Creek Country, and 
the 15tli day of that month entered land on section ten, town seven south, one w^est 
(Pittsford), in the name of his wife, Ruth Estes. Dm-ing the same month his brother, 
Rufus Estes, came in and assisted his brother in chopping a piece for spring crops. 

In the same month also, March, 1834, Reuben Davis located the middle sub-division 
of the southwest fractional (piarter of section eighteen, town seven south, one east 
(Hudson) and conuuenci'd building a log house. That lot of land now forms a part of 
the village of Hudson, it being that portion lying north of Main street and bet^veen 
Church and High streets. The house he commenced stood in the vicinity of Market 
street, between Main street and the railroad. 

On the 7th day of April, 18.34, the first township meeting of the township of Lena- 
wee Avas held. Calvin Bradish was moderator, and N. D. fSlceels was clerk of the 
election. Officers were elected as follows: Supervisor, Garret Teiibrooke; Town- 
ship Clerk, Isaac A. Colvin; Assessors, John Hitchins, Patrick Hamilton and Levi 
Shumway; Collector, Ezra Washburn; Overseers of the Poor, Nehemiah Bassett and 
Elijah Johnson; Commissioners of HighAvays, Jacob Jackson, Samuel Bayless and 
Moses C. Baker; Constable, Ezra V/ashburn; Commissioners of Schools, Lyman 
Pease, Isaiah Sabens and JohnPoAver; School Inspectors, Curran Bradish, Thomas 
F. Dodge, William Edmunds and Isaac A. Colvin. 

The toAvnship meeting voted to pay three dollars for every Avolf slain Avithin the 
toAvnship, and one dollar and fifty cents for each Avolf whelp. During the year Bart 
White was paid bounty on six Avolves, and William Winslow a bounty on one Avolf. 

In the latter part of April, Jesse Smith, accompanied by his family,— a wife and 
five childreiT,^started for their possessions in the Bean Creek Country. At Buifalo 
they shipped on the steamboat William Penn for Monroe. The steamboats of that 
period Avere clumsy affairs. It Avas early in the season, and their progress Avas neces- 
sarily slow. At Monroe he hired tAvo teams to bring his family and goods to Adrian. 
Here it became necessary to dispose of some boots and shoes, and a neAV Avagon 
which he Avas bringing into the country. From his sales he realized tAventy-seven 
bushels of wheat and ten dollars in money. The Avheat, except enough to feed the 
teams on the road, A\as left at the Adrian mill to be ground. With the money, Mrs. 
Smith having sold feathers to pay their tavern bill, Jlr. Smith hired tAVO more teams, 
and AVith his Avife and three children started for Kidder's. His tAVO older boys and 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 33 



William Purchase, who was coming to his brother Oliver, had gone on foot in ad- 
vance. The first day tliey traveled four miles. The next day one of the teams gave 
out about noon ; the goods were imloaded and piled up by the roadside, and the team 
sent back. With the remaining team and load they toiled on through the afternoon, 
but at dark were compelled to camp in the woods, a little south of Posey Lake. Two 
of the children were put in bed in the wagon. Mrs. Smith sat up all niglit and held 
the babe in her arms. The next morning they resumed their journey, and soon after 
they were met by their sons, Lorenzo and William, who had been through to the set- 
tlement and reported the approach of the family. The boys were accompanied by 
Mr. Vangauder witli a yoke of oxen, which enabled them to double teams. Van- 
gauder and the l)oys managed the teams, while Mr. Smith, with the babe in his arms, 
trudged along on foot. Tliey reached Kidder's about noon, where dinner was wait- 
ing for tliem. 

Here tlie Smith family were at last— in the Michigan woods, with but fifty cents in 
pocket. ^lessrs. Purchase and Vangauder were bachelors. The house they had 
built and wintered in was tendered to Mr. Smith, and here he sheltered his family 
until the 20th day of August, when they moved into a house of tlieir own. Mr. Pur- 
chase had chopped the timber down on quite a large piece of gi'oimd around his 
house; this he offered to Smith for a corn-field. Mr. Smith and sons logged and 
burned it off, and planted it to corn and potatoes. On this ground they raised fifty 
bushels of corn and forty bushels of potatoes. These two articles were important 
factors in their next winter's subsistance. The lakes and streams were filled with 
fishes, there was an abundance of game in the woods, and stores of honey deposited 
in convenient hollows by the ever busy bee; these Mr. Smith knew how to capture 
and bring in, and, with his corn and potatoes, sufficed for the sustenance of his family 
and nimierous adventurers, none of whom were ever turned from his door hungry. 
Mr. Smith was accounted— and no doubt justly— a great hunter, as it is said he spent 
the greater part of his time at that business ; but there are boys of that period who 
will not admit that he was a better shot than Kuf us Estes ; indeed, they called Mr. Estes 
the crack shot of the Bean Creek Valley. Both these worthy men are still living. 
For some years Mr. Smith has been blind, but Mr. Estes yet does six days' work in a 
week. 

Early in the spring Henry Ames retm-ned to the Eastern States for his wife, who 
had been left behind on accoimt of feeble health. He returned to Michigan with his 
wife in September, reaching the Creek on the 30th. 

On the first day of May Hiram Kidder commenced work on mill-race, and preparing 
timber for a saw mill. On the first day of June Samuel 0. Coddington, mill-wright, 
of Geneva, New York, conmienced work on the mill. 

In the month of May Beriah H. Lane and his brother Erastus came to the Beau 
Creek Comitry. Beriah selected the first sub-division of the northwest fractional 
(luarterof section nineteen. Upon going to the land office he found it had already 
been entered by Harvey Cobb. He returned to the Bean Creek and selected the west 
and middle sub-divisions of the southwest fractional quarter of section nineteen, 
which he afterwards entered. Almost immediately after, he traded the south part of 
the tract to Reuben Davis for his land, and sold the north half to Sylvester Kenyon. 
The land he bought of Davis had a log house partly finished and about one and a half 
acres chopped. Mr. Lane also purchased of Jesse Kimball the south half of the west 
sub-division of the south-west fractional quarter of section eighteen, or that part of 
the village of Hudson north of Main street and west of Church street. 

The Messrs. Lane detennined to build up a village, and immediately set about build 
ing a saw-mill in order that they might be able to compete with the Kidder settlement, 
which was already putting on village airs. They hired a mill-wright and helpers and 
set them at work. Reuben Davis remained in their house and boarded the men. Mr. 
Davis also drew the timber on to the ground and did such other work as the Lanes 
required. 

C 



34 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

During the latter part of May, laM, Robert "Worden, Dudley "Worden and Samue! 
Day ai-rived at the Creek. The two Wordens started from F'airport, Monroe county, 
New York, in a covered wagon, about the first of April, 183i. Tlie party consisted of 
Dudley Worden, wife and one child, and Robert Worden, Avife and one child. On. 
the way they fell in company with the family of Mr. Samuel Day, traveling in the 
same way and intending to settle in Ohio. The two parties ti-avoled along togetlier^ 
and after a while Mr. Day concluded to come to Michigan with the Wordens. They 
arrived at the Creek, as before stated, in the latter part of May. Their lands were 
entered at the land office on the 29tli day of the month. Their last day's journey was- 
from Adrian to the Creek, eighteen miles, twelve of whicli— from Bart White's, west 
— were in a dense wilderness. When night set in the party were about five miles- 
from Kidder's, in the thick woods. To proceed farther with the a\ a.uons thoA night 
was impossible, and they could not encamp as they were unprovided with tlie means ■ 
to start a fire. The horses were unhitched from the wagons and the party attempted 
to make their way on foot, but the horses were in constant trouble, running against 
trees and into the brush. So the party formed themselves in single file. Mrs. Wor- 
den wore a white skirt and was placed in the rear to pilot the driver of the hoi'ses. lu 
this manner they marched until they reached Kidder's house, liifi' in the evening,. 
The next day they found their land and connnenced building a house. Mr. Robert 
Worden thus describes the liouse lie built: 'T built me a house without a single 
board, except what was nuule witli an ax. I split logs for a floor. The chamb«i 
floor was bark peeled from elm logs. Our roof was Inuk. as was also the gables «:r 
ends. Our door was plank made with an ax, two inelies thick, pinned to wooderi 
hinges and fastened to the logs so it would swing inside. With an auger a hole was 
made in tlie logs so it could be pinned on the inside to protect us from the bears and 
wolves, of which there were a plenty. We had a window hole cut out for a six-lighted 
window, but had no window to put in it. The principal light came down the chim- 
ney hole. One night the wolves commenced to howl. There were so many of them 
and so near I became frightened. We w^ere sleeping on the floor, not having even a 
Michigan bedstead. We got up, went up the ladder with our beil. pulled the ladder 
after us, made our bed on the bark, and should have considered ourselves secure from 
the wolves only that we were fearful that the bark would give way and let us fall." 
And all this feai- of the wolves within two miles of two villas;es. One village had 
double the number of houses the other had, and that had two." 
Of Mr. and Mrs Day, a AA'riter in the Hudson Post, of March 2Gth, 1ST4, wrote; : 
"Mr. Samuel Day died in ISoG. He was a man who made his mark in this nasv 
country, will be remembered as a stock man, and wlm could show the flliest stock :iu 
the Valley of the Bean. Coming here when Hudson was a vast forest, with five boys 
at his command, much of the improvement in this \ ichiity was made through his ki- 
fluence. But he has laid by his armor and passed over the River with others who- 
were his associates here, to be employed in higher and nobler splieres than earth cvni 
offer. 

"Mrs. Day is one of those noble women who fii-st settled this Bean Creek Valley^ 
when in its native state. I!*Iay, 1834, found her coming down Bean Creek hill at ten 
o'clock at night, she having w^alked from Adrian the same day. She crossed the 
Bean upon a log, and came up to Mr. Kidder's log house, where the family stoppeti 
for the night, and until they could find some house to stop at or until they could buiUl 
themselves. This they did in the month of May, having to cut a wagon road froui 
Bush's Corners up to where their house now stands. The house was built without a 
single board ; the roof was covered with bark, and the floor made of split logs. Tla we- 
Avas not a tree cut west of Bush's Corners; the wolf and deer Avere all that inhabitea 
that region. Mrs. Day was a Avoman of strong constitution, alwn>'s Avorking Avith a 
will, having a large family of her OAvn to provide for, in a new country, Avith all tbt- 
settlers in like circumstances. But she Avorked ou Avitli her neiglibors, every one 
feeling dependent upon each other for things to keep soul and body togetlier. Mr . 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



ami Mrs. Day having lived in a dairy country East, and been brought up iii that 
l)ranch of fanning, as soon as tlie country would v?arrant, conunenced making butter 
and cheese in the Valley of the Beaii, which, in addition to her other work, eni- 
ployed all the powers of body she possessed. She is now quite feeble, not able to go 
out, but with her cane can walk about the house, ller sight is good ; she can sew- 
without spectacles. She is very glad to have old friends come in and talk over 
the hardships gone through by the early settlers in opening up this tier of counties, 
which has far exceeded what she expected to see. She brought apple seeds from 
the East, and when they planted them she said, 'I shall never live to eat fruit of this 
orchard.' " 

In the early part of Jmie Hiram Kidder platted the village of Lenawee, and June 
13th the plat was acknowledged bv the proprietors, Daniel Hudson and Nathan B. 
Kidder, and recorded in the Kegister's office of Lenawee county. On the next day 
foiu- village lots were sold. 

Sometime diunng the summer Dudley Worden, having built a house in the village 
of Lenawee, opened a little store, and, as was the custom of those days, a part of his. 
stock consisteil of whisky,— an article as necessary for Indian ti'atlic as for home con- 
sumption. 

Uu the first day of July, 1834, the mill irons for the Kidder mill were brought froro 
Adrian by ox teams, and on the 14th day of the same month the frame was raised. 
The mill commenced sawing October 1st, and was completed the same month. The 
cost of the mill to its starting was isySo.n'; its total cost was .'!fl,441.31. One of 
the boys of that period tells tliat the first board made at the mill was taken upon tlie 
shoulders of the men, carried to the grocery and the whisky "set up" on that notable 
occasion. 

xVbout the first of July Mr. Beriah 11. Lane returned to Massacliusetts for his family. 
On the ISth day of August he left Enfield to return to Bean Creek. lie brought with 
him his wife and two children, his father and mother, and his widowed sister (Mrs. 
?.I. K. Douglass) and her two children. They traveled by team to Troy, by canal 
"line boat" to Buffalo, steamboat to Cleveland, and team to Bean Creek. They were 
\et five miles out when darkness settled down, and would have had to camp in the 
woods, but his brother Erastus, having heard of their approach, met them with a 
lantern. He found the mill frame up and the work was progressing finely. They 
immediately commenced work on the dam, and completed the mill in December fol- 
lowing; but a freshet carried the dam away, and it was not repaired until the 
following spring. 

In the fall of this year ilr. Simeon Van Akin and family came to the settlement., 
lie had visited the country in the month of November, 1833, and located his land. He 
says that when coming in, November 9th, 1833, he met Mr. Pratt, with his ox team,, 
going after another load of goods. According to Mr. Pratt's recollection, he was go- 
ing for Mrs. Pratt and their boy, whom he had left at the house of Lyman Pease, one 
mile west of Adrian. Besides his own family Mr. Van Akin was accompanied by 
William H. H. Van Akin, then quite a young man. They at once commenced build- 
ing themselves a house. Alpheus Pratt drew the logs together with his ox team, and 
Mr. Lane and his mill hands helped roll the logs up. That house was built on the 
east side of the creek, near the southwest corner of Main and High sti-eets, about 
where the new engine house noAV stands. While excavating for the foundation wall* 
of that building one of the logs of the old house was exhumed. 

In December of that year John Davenport and family settled in Lanesville. The 
iiouse lie built and occupied was built on or near the east bank of the Bean, and just 
north of Main street, on a half acre of land reserved by Beuben Davis when he sold 
to the Lanes. In excavating for the railroad, the north part of the house was under- 
mined, and soon afterwards was removed. 

Mrs. Davenport, in a letter wi-itten February 15th, 1ST5, describes the fii>t /'Vidge- 
across Bean Creek at Lanesville. She says : 



36 THE BEAl^ CREEK VALLEY. 



"Forty years and two months have passed since I came with my husband and five 
tittle ones to the wilderness, now the thriving village of Hudson. On our arrival 
^here we found the following named settlers: Mr. Simeon Van Akin (a widower) 
^nd his mother (Grandma Van Akin, as she was called by all mitil her death), two 
children (Margaret and Lydia Ann), and a younger brother (Harrison Van Akin). 
Also, Beriah IL Lane, his wife and his father (Nathaniel), two children (Anna and 
Nathaniel, Jr.), also a widowed sister (.Airs. Douglass) and her two children. These, 
with my own family, composed the population of Hudson proper. Mr. Davenport 
iiad the little log house built upon the east bank of IJean Creek, but on the arrival 
of the family we were met by Mr. Van Akin and taken to his mansion, which was of 
the same style and finish as our own. We received such a welcome as pioneers Iniow 
how to give. Tlie following morning the wagons were unioailed and we commenced 
in earnest a pioneer life. The few that may he present well k)iow v/l'.at it means,— 
the toil, the privations and the hardships. 

"The first bridge built was by Grandma A^an Akin and myself. Tlie society of 
the three families was much sought aft^r by each other, and linding tliat Bean 
vCreek was a barrier to fidl social enjoyment,— Mrs. Lane, living on tlie west side, 
was unable to cross on the sapling that had fallen across tlie creek some distance 
away,— we determined to have a better way of crossing; so, hniling two benches 
that had been used to chink and daub the walls of Mr. Van Akin"s house, (handma 
and I carried them down and waded into the stream ami placed thein in ]>osition, 
then went to Mr. Davis' saw mill, carried planks and laid tliem from the bank to the 
tiench, and so over to the opposite bank. This was in the spring of is:;.'), and it 
•remained until the freshet of the following spring, when no trace of it longer re- 
mained." 

During the year 1834, besides those already named, John Kice, John Davenport. 
.Sylvester Kenyon and Silas Eaton settled in town seven soutli, one east ; and William 
Ohamplin, Lewis Gillett, Ozen Keith and Jesse Maxson, R. H. Whitehorn, Eutli 
'fistes, Urias Treadwell and Lawrence Rheubottom settled in town seven south, range 
<one west. 

The following named persons, not elsewhere mentioned, purchased land this year, 
wn this township (Hudson): Moses Bennett, Joseph Hagaman, William Chapman, 
Frederick Corey, Dexter Smith, Ruth Haines, John C. Emery, Peries Lincoln, Mary 
P. Todd, Gabriel H. Todd, Robert Huston, James Maloney. Michael Dillon, B. 
•itTewton, Erastus W. Starkweather, A. Sagar, Harman Whitbeck. Samuel F. Davis. 
Buckley Newton, Erastus Lane, Ira Jewett, Chauncey Whitney, Seba Murphy, Laban 
fving, David E. W^iscott, Isaac Freeman, Daniel Featherly, John Rice, Harvey Cobb, 
JJiram Van Akin, M. Sherman, J. Kimball, Philo Tracey, Seth Fletcher, Robert 
Kinney, Randall Mills, Samuel Bayless, Eliza Bayless, Polly Potter, Abel Gibbs, 
John Beard, Samuel Skinner, William N. Stockwell, Trinnan Bown. 

In Pittsford, Lewis Gilbert, Curran White, James DeGraph, Hannah DeGraph, 
-Lorenzo Church, David Fish, Peter Potter, William Purchase, Benjamin Bassett, 
.Dolly Bassett, William Cular, Lewis Dillon, W^alter Culver, Guiles Sage, Matthew 
Dillon, Aaron Aldrich, Asahel Dolbear, Marcus Ilawley, Jesse Treadwell, Ira L. 
■Mills, Joseph Barnhart, John Davenport, Dudley Worden, Merrit Sherman, James 
McLain, Levi Thompson, Buckley Newton, Nathan Birdsall, Nathaniel J. Redfield, 
Israel Loomis, Daniel Loomis, Richard Britton, Eldad B. Trumbull, Jesse Kimball, 
William Burnham, Richai-d Butler, Nicholas Fratts, Samuel Cole, Horace P. Hitch- 
cock, Warren Burnham, Jesse Maxson, Ezra A. Washburn, James B. Marry, Cyrus 
Robinson, N. W'ood, John Munger, Truman Bishop. 

Some of these parties settled on their land that season and others in subsequent 
-seasons, but some of them entered their land for speculative purposes oidy and never 
^settled on it. 

Christmas day, 18:34, occm-red the first wedding in this part of the Valley. Mr. 
•James Sprague and Miss Elizabeth Ames were united in marriage at the house of 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY, 



Mr. Alpheus Pratt, by the Rev. Mr. Willey, a Methodist clergjonan of Adrian. The 
following named persons composed the wedding party: Alpheus Pratt, wife an.l 
son, Charles Ames, wife and two sons, Henry Ames, wife and son, Jesse Kimbnl]^ 
wife and daughter, and Miss Martha Redfield. 

Mr. Robert Worden, writing of this year's experience in a new country, said: 

"We were a community of many wants from the outside world. The article cl 
currant-roots, or sprouts, were in great demand. The undersigned went out to the 
settlement to obtain some sprouts, and all I could get were ten pieces of sprouts- 
about eight inches long each, and felt myself fortunate and thankful. I got them oi 
Richard Kent, a little north of the city of Adrian, and from the sprouts I obtained at 
that time I have bushes on my farm now, and have supplied very many new beginners 
from them with roots. 

"The first settlers had an enemy in what is called the deer-mouse. They were 
numerous, would crawl through an incredible small hole, and were very destructive. 
Before we were aware of it they had got into our trunks and seriously injured our 
clothing. We had no place of security for, anything they wanted. My wife had 
brought with her some starch done up in a paper. One day, wanting to use some, 
she found the paper that contained the starch, but no starch. It had been carried off 
by the mice, and it could not be replenished short of a tiip of twenty miles ; but some, 
time after we had occasion to use an empty bottle stowed away, and in the bottle we 
found our starch, put there by the mice ; it was not possible for them to get into the 
bottle. We were in great want of a house-cat to destroy the mice, and they were 
very scarce in this section of the Territory. I took a bag and started for Adrian on. 
foot to x>rocure a cat, if possible. I could find none in Adrian, but heard of some kit 
tens three miles south of Adrian, at Col. Bradish's. I went to Col. Bradish's, but 
was a little too late— they had let the last one go the day before. I then started for 
home, came about two miles this side of Adrian and stopped over night with a family 
of English people. I told the la<ly of the house of my unsuccessful efforts to find a. 
cat. She sympathized with me, and said they had been similarly situated. When 
morning came and I was about to start for home the lady said: 'I have been think- 
ing of your troubles through the night ; I have but one cat, a great nice one, and I have 
concluded to lend it to you until I shall want it.' I took the cat in the bag and started 
for home— on foot, of coiu-se— and before I got home with it I thought it a very heavy 
cat. We kept the cat but a few weeks ; it was killed by the wild-cats, which were 
<iuite plenty at the time." 

But, hark ! While the last paragraph was being WTitten (August 21st, 1870), a churchr 
bell has begun to toll the departure of a pioneer of 1834, Silas Eaton has passed away ; 
life's toils and pains, its joys and blessings are over. Mr, Eaton was born at Duanes- 
burg, Montgomery county, New York, on the 23d day of February, 1798. When he 
was twelve years old his father removed to the Genesee country and settled at Per- 
rington, :Monroe county. On the 18th day of November, 1819, he inter-married with 
]Miss Eliza Simmons, of Victor, Ontario county, Mr, and Mrs, Eaton lived in various 
localities in the State of New York, until the year 1834, While residing in that State- 
the happy couple had five children born unto them, one of whom had died. Those 
remaining were Harriet Newell (since the wife of Josei^h :M. .Johnson), Stephen A,,. 
Constantine S. and Hervey U, In 1834 Mr. Eaton began seriously to think of making 
his home in the West. He came to IMichigan in the month of June, that year, and 
entered the west half of the northwest quarter of section eight, town seven south, one 
west^the farm now occupied by Silas L, Allen, Esq, He returned home, and in 
October of that year removed his family to ilichigan and settled on his farm, where 
he remained nearly three years. In the year 1837 he removed to the village of Keenc, 
where he had built himself a frame house ; there he remained until the spring of 1840, 
laboring at his trade— that of a carpenter and joiner. While there lie was appointed 
postmaster under Van Buren's a^hninistratioii. He held the office iu\til his removal, 
when he was succeeded by Henry Ame.-^, In the spring of 1840, tlio Southe?-iii 



r38 THE BEAN CEEEK VALLEY. 



Kailroad having been located through Lanesville, Mr. Eaton removed to the latter 
place, moving not only his family and personal effects, but his house as weW. lu this 
village he resided all the rest of his life. He was Supervisor of the township in 184.S 
4iild 1849, and was postinaster eight years— during the administration of Pierce and 
Buchanan. Politically, Mr. Eaton was a Democrat of the straightest sect, and dm-ing 
Lis active life was held in high esteem iu the councils of that party. lu all his acts, 
^•.ocial, business, political, and religious, Mr. Eaton was ever governed by strong 
conscientious con^•ictions. and if he erred it was an error of judgment rather than 
affections. In cmiy life, the winter of 1S21-2, Mr. Eaton was made a Free and Accepted 
Mason iu a lodge at Pittsford. Ontario county, N". Y. He was a charter member of 
Morning Star lodge, Hudson, Mich., at its organization on Monday, the 19th day of 
June, 1848; was the first senior warden, and for several years held official positions. 
lie was also a charter member of Warren Lodge, organized September '^th, 1863, and 
was made an honorary member in 1871. He was made a Eoyal Arch Mason in Hud- 
son chapter No. 38. His f mieral on the 22d was largely attended by members of tlie 
craft, and his remains were consigned to the tomb with mystic rites. As a mark of 
respect and honor to the worthy dead— for one so early and so long identified with the 
moral and material progress of this connnunit>— places of business were generally 
•closed dm-ing the moving (.f the ]irocession and the funeral exercises, which were 
lield in the M. E. churcli. Tlir si'i\ ices consisted of the reading of portions of scrip- 
iiire by Pev. Mv. Ilobcits. of ilii> Wcslryau Methodist church, prayer by the Kev. Mr. 
Frazer, of the ^h'tlindist Ei.is(<.]ial church, sermon by the Kev. Mr. Gibbs, of the 
Universalist clmrch ol .Manclicstcr. ujid appropriate singing by the Congi-egational 
and Methodist chairs— the hu-v auditorium being filled with sorrowing relatives and 
friends, brothers. nciglilHus ;i!m1 riti/.ens, "who a last tribute would pay to a good man 
passed away." Tlie lliulxin Post, a Itepublican newspaper, closed an appreciative 
•obituary with these words : '-.Mr. Eaton leaves a widow (the companion of his youth), 
two sons and one daughter, many grandchildren, and a host of friends to moimi his 
'departure : 

" 'But why weep ye for him, who having won 
The bound of man's appointed years, at last. 
Life's l)lessiims all enjoved. Life's labors done. 

SiTenely to his linal rest has jkissciI ; 
While the soft nieniovy of his virtues yet 
Lingers like twilight hues wlien the bright snn i.s set?' " 

■■Varren Lodge, No. 147, Free and Accepted Masons, adopted the following resolu- 
tions : 

Wiikt:kas, Our esteemed brother. Sihis Eaton, lias, at the ripe age ot seventy-eight 
years. l)ee:i ealleil to exehauge an earllily for a siiJritual state ot existence; 

RcKiiira!. That while we are tliaiddul to our ,Sii])renie Grand :^,Iaster tor the many 
years of soeial intercourse we have been permitted to enjoy with our brother Eaton, 
v/e mourn his de]iarture as a loss to ourselves and our noble craft, no less than to his 
t'juuily and relatives. 

iic.so/rc(7. That vvc r( cognize in our departed brother a trae type of the noble pio- 
);eers who eou\-erted the wilds of Michigan into fertile fields, and that we recognize it 
as our (lut> t.i <'herish the nieiuory of those departed, and by kindly oflices light the 
patliway of those reuuiiiniig. 

Rcsiilnd, 'I'liat we conniieud our sister, the widow of our departed brother, to the 
active s\ ui|n:th> of the craft, and that we extend to our brothers (tlie sons of the de- 
<;easeii). and to his daughter, the liand of condolence in their sad bereavement : but as 
a source of comfort in such tr\ ing scenes, remind them that his work was fully done, 
and that he dejiarted full ot davs, with earth's liouors untarnished. 

Bcsolved, That these resolutions l)e published iu the village papers, and that copies 
be furnished the widow and cliildren of our departed brotiier. 

Thk Baker Setti>ksiext. 

The settlement of Francis H. Ilagaman and Gershom Bennett in the nortliwest corner 
of town eight south, two east (Seneca), in November. 183.S, has already been noticed ; 
iiSso tlie pmx'hase by Cavender of several parcels of land in the fall of the same year. 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 39 

Besides these, Ebenezer S. Carpenter, John F. Packard, Archibald Brown and Levi 
Sherman entered land in 1833; but aside from these purchases, the township was 
iroverument property in the beginning of 1834. On the first day of February, 1834, 
lloswell J. Heyward purchased of the United States, land on section thirteen, and 
.^ttled on it immediately after. Jacob Baker entered land on section thirty, on the 
tentli day of March, and soon after came with his family and commenced a settlement. 
Horace Garlick and Arnold H. Coomer accompanied Mr. Baker to the wilderness. 
< iarlick was married, but Coomer was a single man. They proceeded at once to build 

I. log house. Coomer had the bark to peel for the roof, and he pressed the Indians 
into the service to assist him. The house was the visual log cabin of the early settler 
—puncheon floor, bark roof and gables, small window holes, and panelless doors. 
i'tie doors were of the kind called batten doors, but the batten was a piece of timber 
, little longer than the width of the door and larger at one end than at the other; the 

nge end projected beyond the door, and was bored to serve as a part of the hinge. 

riie boards were fastened to the battens by wooden pins or by nails, a.s the necessity 
<>v convenience of the builder required. 

In the early part of May, 1834, Simon D. Wilson, James Wilson, Ephraim Whitman, 
Ephraim Baldwin and Samuel D. Baldwin came to the township, looking land. They 
.•ere all young men, and, with the exception of Simon D. Wilson, unmarried. The 
licst two were brothers, and the Baldwins were brothers-in-law of 'Simon D. Wilson. 
I Charles Baldwin, another brother-in-law, was living in township eight south, three 
i-ast,— or as then organized, the east end of the township of Fairfield,— and thither 
this party gathered, preparatory to their contemplated invasion of the wilderness. 
When the party were ready, Charles Baldwin piloted them to the creek. Simon D. 
Wilson selected land on section thirty, in to\vn eight south, and on sections six, seven 
.lud eight, tov.-n nine south. Ephraim Baldwin selected laud on section eight, town 

line south. The land ofiice at Monroe was their next objective point, which they 
uiatle, and entered their land on the fifteenth and sixteenth days of May, 1834. Arnold 

II. Coomer had entered his land on section thirty-one, town eight soutli, on the eighth 
day of that month. Simon D. Wilson immediately commenced operations on his 
J and by building the inevitable log cabin, but had not yet got settled when Dennis 
Wakefield came into the township, prospecting for land ; he made his selection— a tract 
.)f fom- hundred and twenty acres— on Bean Creek, which he entered June 14th, and 
returned to Connecticut. Mr. Wakefield returned to the Valley with his family in 
;he month of August. During his absence several families had purchased liomes 
i If the township. On the twenty-ninth day of September Alvah Holt entered his land 
nul commenced to build on it immediately. 

During the year 1834, besides those already named, the following persons purchased 
5and in towns eight and nine south, two east: Section 1— G. W. Allen, Jan. S4th; 
Joseph Griffin, June 2d ; David Price, Sept. S4th. Section 4— Eansom J. Cra\vford, 
Oct 6. Section 7— Abner Griffith, Aug. 18th. Sections 8 and 9— William Yerks, June 
.id. Section 10— Ilenry Hayward, Aug. 9th ; Ephraim Ilollister, Aug. 25th ; Isaac N. 
i'owell, Oct. 7th. Section 11— Zeriel Waterman, April 19th; Cornelius S. Randolph, 
3Iay 27th ; Ira Hollo way, Sept. 20th ; Ilenry Hayward, Oct. 6t)i. Section 12— John 
Cambm-u, Feb. 1st; William D. Page, ]\[arch 19th; John Starkweather. Section 1.3— 
William Baker, April 4th. Section 14— David Meech, June 2d; John Adams, June 
10th; George Packard, June 21st; Manly Smith, July 8th. Section 15— Cornelius 
Willett, Jidy loth; James W. Camburn, July loth; Abel Randolph, Aug. 23tt. Sec- 
tion 17— Amos A. Kinney, Sept. 24th. Section IS— Thomas Hawley, Oct. 2Sth. 
Section 19— T. Carter, June 10th; Alvah Holt, Sept. 29th; Lucas Atwood, Sept. 29th; 
George Lee, 2d, Oct. 4th ; Samuel Lanuuon, Oct. 21st. Section 28— Paul Raymond, 

.Franklin W. Walker, Nov. 11th. Section 29— Amos Franklin, July 4th ; 

Barns, Oct. Ist. Section 30— Lydia Noyes, Moses Cole, July 10th. Section 31— 
.. Jonathan Saulsbury, June 2d; William Westfield, June 14th; Caleb C. Cooley, 
1 'Jet 8th* James H. Sweenej:, Nov. 5th. Section 33— Nathan Saulsbury, June 9th; A. 



40 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

Brown, June 14th ; John Franklin, July 4th; Heman Ilerrington, Oct. 28th ; Daniel 
Sanborn, Nov. 20th. Section 33— Daniel Reed, June 37th. Town nine south: Sec- 
tion ."5— Simon Westfield, June 14th. Section 6— Benjamin Hornbeck, Jime 14th. 
Section 7— Ephraim Baldwin, Jr., Joseph L. Royce, J. Calvin. Sections 9 and 10— 
Thomas Hawly, Oct. 38th. 

The old Indian trail from Jonesville to Maumee lay through tliis township, and just 
below where Morenci now is there was an old Indian burying ground. 

Thk Uptox Settlemknt. 

On the 31st day of May, 1834, Dexter Smith, George W. Moore, Nathaniel Upton 

and Pierce started from Dean's tavern, Adrian, to locate land in the Bean 

Creek Country. Their outfit consisted of an ax, a rifle, ten pounds of crackers and 
an Ohio ham. Of this latter article Mr. Moore remarked: "It was as salt as Lot's 
wife and as hard as a regulation ball." They traveled on foot, and that day reached 
tlie house of Gershom Bennett, in the northwest corner of town eight south, two east, 
now known as Seneca. The next day they viewed land on sections three and four in 
town eight south, and on sections thirty-four and thirty-five in town seven south, one 
east. The land suited them, and the following day they started on their return to 
Adrian by the Indian trail running from Defiance to Detroit. Tlie trail crossed the 
Kidder road about three miles west of Adrian. Here they fell in with a man named 
Corey, who was also traveling Adrianwards. They learned from his talk that he 
intended to locate one hundred and sixty acres of the land their party had selected. 
A consultation was held in Dean's barn that night, and Moore and Smith were de- 
tailed to go on to Monroe in haste and locate the land before Corey could reach there. 
It was raining, but they at once set out and reached Blissfield, 11 miles distant, at one 
o'clock A. M. Here they laid themselves down on the bar-room floor and rested until 
daylight, then pursued their journey, reached Monroe that afternoon, and entered 
their land. Corey arrived the next morning. Smith and Upton returned at once to 
commence the new settlement. They arrived at the Creek May 28th. They built a 
log cabin,— or three sides of it were logs, the other was open,— and l>efore it they built 
their fire. The roof was of elm bark. The bedstead was a fixture of the house. When 
the house was laid up, notches were cut in the logs at the proper height and poles laid 
in ; the outer corners were supported by stakes or posts made of a section of young 
trees. Beech withes were woven across in place of cords, and on these elm bark was 
laid. It was called a Michigan bedstead, and was ja-obably the first spring bed on 
record. In this cabin Smith and Upton lived diuing the suunner, but in the fall they 
built themselves a comfortable log house, in which tliey kept bachelors' hall until the 
winter of 1830. The cabin and house oceu])ied by these men was in the township 
now called Medina, but as Smith's land was situated in the township now called 
Hudson, Mr. Nathaniel W. Upton has been considered the first settler in Medina. 

On the 8th day of April, 1834, CookHotchkiss and John Knapp purchased the north- 
east quarter and the east half of the southeast quartei* of section two. They brought 
their families to Adrian on the second day of June. On the third day of June, William 
Walworth purchased the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section one, 
and on the sixth day of June, John R. Foster purchased the northeast quarter of sec- 
tion six. Knapp, Walworth and Foster each built houses and settled their families 
dm-ing the month of June, but Foster's family preceded the others a few days, and 
Mrs. Foster was therefore the first white woman resident of that township. Mr. 
Foster's house was built near the northeast corner of his farm, and was built after tiie 
model of the early log houses, only this had no chamber. The floor was of split and 
hewed basswood, the roof of bark, two small windows, and a stick and mud chimney. 
John Knapp built a somewhat better house— in fact, it smacked a little of aristocracy. 
It was twenty by twenty-six feet, one and a half stories high ; the floors were of split 
and hewn basswood, and the roof was covered with shakes. Shakes were rived out 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 41 



of oak timber; thej^ were about thirty inches long, all the way of a thickness, and as 
wide as could be made out of the quarter of an oak log. The shakes, therefore, varied 
in width according as they were split out of a large or small tree, or was the first or 
last riven out of the bolt. The shakes were laid on poles flattened to the rafters and 
held in place by other poles, the poles, underneath and top, being fastened together 
with hickory or blue beech withes. But, notAvithstanding these aristocratic notions, . 
Mr. Knapp was compelled to have a stick and mud chimney, because there were 
neither brick or stone to be had. The house stood near where Allen's tavern, in Me- 
dina village, now stands. The land bought by William W. Walworth was that on 
which the Canandaigua mills now are. He built a house a little northwest of where 
the old saw mill was afterwards built. 

Charles A. Prisbey, October 4th, purchased the northeast fractional quarter of the 
northwest quarter of section two. Samuel Fincher bought the northwest quarter of 
the northwest quarter of section two, October 5th. Both tJiese men built houses on 
their lands in the summer and fall of 1834. Dm-ing that sununer the following named 
persons purchased lands in the township: Section 1— William M. Wadsworth, June 
:{d ; Samuel Sweeney, Jr. , Nov. .5th. Section ',J— Amos S. Knapp, Nov. 4th. Section 3 — 
Nathaniel :Moore, Aug. 35th. Section .5— Andrew McFarland, March 10th. Section 
0— James Barns, Nov. 10th. Section 11— William P. Hobbs. Section i;i— Hiram Lucas, 
Oct. 3d. Section 23— Benjamin Rodgers, Sept. tJ4th. Section 24— Chester Savage, 
Aug. 4th; Thomas Hawley, Oct. 28th. Section 25— Horace Garlick, March 10th; 
George Bennett, June 9tli; Dennis Wakefield, Aug. 29th ; Charles M. Hewitt, Sept. 
8th; James Wilson, Nov. 14th. Section 36— Joseph Hagaman, May 27th; James 
Jackson Hannah, Nov. 8th ; William Yerks, Nov. 17th. Section 37— Samuel Chambers, 
Dec. 30th. Section 34— Justus Coy, Oct. 11th. Section 3-5— Dennis Wakefield, Oct.. 
6th ; Ira Clark, Oct. 9th ; Archibald Purdy, Oct. 9th ; Thomas Tadman, Nov. 17th. 
Section 36— Charles M. Henry, July 5th; Dennis Wakefield, Aug. 24th; Samuel 
Sweeney, Nov. 5th. 

In town nine south, on section 1— Calvin King, June 17th; Dennis Wakefield, Aug. 
39th ; Albert Davis, Aug. 23d ; Horatio Wilson, Aug. 29th ; Amos Franklin. Sept. 16th ; 
Section 2— Dennis Wakefield, Aug. 29th ; Levi Goss, Sept. 4th ; Amos Franklin, Sept. 
16th, Dennis Wakefield, Dec. 18th. Section 3— Orville Woodwortli, Sept. 3d; Levi 
Goss, Sept. 3d. Section 4— Orville Woodworth, Sept. 3d ; James Farley, Dec. 8th. Sec- 
tions 6 and 7— William Clark, Nov. 14th. Section 8— David Meech, Dec. 24th. Sec- 
tion 9— Miles Baker, Nov. 1st; Justus Cooley, Nov. 1st; John Farley, Dec. 8th ; David 
Meech, Dec. 24th. Sections 10 and 11— Hiram Farwell, Oct. 25. Section 12— Uriah E. 
Wright, Oct. 39th. By consulting the map, the reader will see that sections 8, 9, 10, 
11 and 12 are now in the State of Ohio, but at that time Ohio had not attempted to 
exercise jm-isdiction over the disputed territory. 

Land looking and land locating was the principal business of that year, and guides 
through the forests and to the most desirable unlocated lands were in great demand- 
There were also land centers from which land explorations usually started. From 
Canandaigua the northern part of ISIedina, soutliern part of Hudson, and the tovraship 
of Wright were reached, while Jacob Baker's house in Seneca was the point from 
which southwestern Seneca, southern Medina, Royalton, Cliesterfield and Gorham, 
now in Ohio, were explored. 

A good story is told of Levi Goss and Orville Woodwortli. They Avere strangers to 
each other, but came to Baker's land-looking at the same time. Arnold II. Coomer 
was detailed to guide Goss, and Garlick performed that service for Woodworth. 
They carried on their explorations separately, and pretty thoroughly scoured the 
country. Coomer and Goss, having finished, came in late one afternoon, and found 
that Woodworth had preceded them. Mr. Goss was already somewhat advanced in age, 
and was considerably fatigued. He had written the description of land selected on a 
slip of paper thus : S. E. half sec. 3, T. 9 S., 1 E., &c., and placed the slip in his hat,, 
which on coming in he sat on the floor. Woodwoi-th sat where he could see into the hat,.. 



42 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



and was observed to be earnestly looking in that direction. All at once Woodwortli 
■started up and inquired, " How far is it to Ilagaman's ? '' " Five miles," was the re- 
ply. " Then," said Woodwortli, addressing two fellow travelers, " we have time to 
reach there before dark; let's go." And immediately they started. Their sudden de- 
parture was a cause of wonderment to Baker, his household and guests. Goss sat 
demurely contemplating the movement, when his eyes resting on the slip of paper 
in his hat, he exclaimed: "He has gone to enter my land." After a moment's further 
thought, he asked: " Is there no Avay of reaching Adrian to-night ? He will go no 
further than Hagaman's to-niL;lit. and if I can reach Adrian I may save my land 
yet." Baker told him there was im way, unless he could make some arrangement 
with Coomer. Said he, "I have two horses in the barn; may-be you can make some 
arrangement with Coomer to bring them back."' The hint was acted on, and with- 
out waiting for supper, the liorses were mounted, and away went the adventurers 
towards llagamau's, tlinmgh thick woods, with nothing but a Itridle path to follow. 
It was dark early in the forest, but Coomer had provided himself with a tin lantern 
and candle, which lighted, enabled them to pursue their jom-ney with tolerable 
speed. When they reached Hagaman's it was dark in the clearing, but beyond 
the house were some log heaps burning. To prevent discovery the candle in the lan- 
tern was put out and the house passed as noiselessly as possible. At the most remote 
log heap tlie candle was relighted and the journey pursued. They now had a wagon 
track to follow and they traveled mure expeditiously, and reached Jordan's some- 
what past midnight. ]\Ir. .jdnlau was aroused to get the travelers something to eat. 
It was here arraugvd that CiHtini r slnmld go no farther, but that Jordon should take 
Goss on as soon as liuht aiipcaivd. .birdan was to remain up to insure an early start, 
but so great was Cuss" anxiety lie .-ould not sleep, so the two were up the entire 
night. With tiie ap])caran(i' of li'^lit they were off for Adrian, and from there to 
Blissfield. It will no (!oul)t occur to ilie reader that via Adrian was not the shortest 
route from Jordan"s to BJisslield, but on the more direct route tli£re was no road 
through the wilderness. At Blissfield, Goss hired a man to take him to Monroe in a 
wagon (the journey had so far been made on horseback), but it was stipulated that 
the driver was to let no man pass him, and away they went tow^ards Monroe. 
Coomer, sharing none of Goss" anxiety, slept soundly at the house of Jordan until 
long after the departure of the others, but at last awakened, and breakfast procured, 
he set out on his return to Baker's. A little way out he met Woodwortli on foot, 
who recognized him, and at once asked "Where's the old man? " Boy like, Coomer 
desiring to worry him, sang out, " He's in Monroe by this time."" Woodworth proba- 
bly suspected that that could not be true, but Goss was ahead, and suuiethhig must 
be done. He traveled on at as (juick a pace as possible until, suuiewhere eastward of 
Jordan's, he found a man plowing in his field. Woodworth walked up to the team 
and commenced unharnessing one of the horses. While unfastening the harness he 
told his story, and as he sprang upon the horse's back, he said, "I have no intention 
of stealing this horse. If you want him, follow me." The other horse was stripped 
and mounted, and away the pair went over the road traveled by the other party in 
the gray of the morning. At Blissfield the horses were changed, and Woodworth 
and his new companion proceeded towards Monroe. Expecting to pass Goss on the 
road, Woodwortli attempted a sort of disguise by changing hats and coats with his 
companion. Towards evening, as Goss and his driver were jogging along near the 
end of their journey, two men api)eared riding along in the distance. One of the 
men appeared to be better mounted than the other, as he neared the wagon much 
more rapidly. "Are you afraid of that man ?" said the driver. " No," said Goss, 
" he lives hereabouts I think," and the man rode by. Woodworth, for it was he, rode 
rapidly tVirward, wiiile his companion jogged leism-ely along, some way behind tlu^ 
wagon, seeuiingl\ in no hurry. Riding up to the door of the land office, and thrusting 
Ills hand into his jiocket, he called out, "I want to enter—" but alas! his memoran- 
dum was in the]iocket of his own coat, on the other man's back. Giving rein and 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 43 



whip to his liorse he dasliecl away, met and passed tlie wagon, rushed up to liis com- 
panion, secured his paper, and turned again towards the land office. The driver of 
the team seeing the same man coming again, apparently very anxious to pass, said, 
^' There is some deviltry there," and put whip to his horses. Woodworth passed, 
however, and as he passed, Goss recognized him. Away they went towards the land 
office, where they arrived almost at the same instant. " I want to enter—" said 
Woodworth. " I want to enter—" cried Goss, at the same time jumping, but his foot 
caught on the wheel and he fell heavily to the ground, knocking the breath from his 
body. "Wlien Goss recovered consciousness, Woodworth had entered his land and 
was quietly chewing his quid, chuckling over the success of his scheme. Goss cared 
little for his bodily injuries, but mourned pitifully over the loss of his land. The re- 
'Ceiver ti'ied to comfort him by suggesting that perhaps some other lai^l in the imme- 
diate neighborhood would answer as well. "Let me see your description," said 
jMiller. The paper was produced, when lo ! it appeared that Goss' land was not the 
Woodworth land at all. Woodworth had selected and entered the southwest quarter 
of section three, and Goss had selected and now was but too glad to enter the south- 
east quarter of the same section. And thus it came about that after an exciting race, 
each man had secured his own land, and neither man had any intention of getting the 
other's land. Looking with suspicious eye at the slip in Goss' hat, Woodworth had 
-confused the southeast with the southwest, and hence the race. The two men settled 
on their land, where they lived and died, respecting each other, and each enjoying the 
respect and esteem of their neighbors. 

TiiK Lake .Settlemkxt. 

Eai-ly in January, 183-1, the little settlement near tlie south shore of D.eWl's Lake 
•was reinforced by its fom-th family, tliat of Mr. William Beal. These four families 
and Ephraim Sloan are believed to have constituted the entire population of the terri- 
tory now embraceil in the township of KoUin in the winter of 18.33-34. The spring of 
1834 brouglit many settlers to the Bean Creek Valley, and a large proportion of them 
concluded to make their home in this township. David Steer settled on land he loca- 
ted in 1833, on section .5. John T. Comstock and James Sloan located land and settled 
on section 7, Orson Green on section 10, Levi Jennings and Salem Vosbm-g on section 
22, John R. Hawkins on section 20, Matthew Bennett on section W, James Macon and 
Joseph Allen on section 27, Jonathan Ball, Warner Ayelsworth and John Upton on 
section 28, and Roswell Lamb on section 39. Besides those above named, the follow- 
ing persons pm-chased land in the township during 1834: Cynthia C. Aldricli, Elmer 
Cole, Elvira Cole, Darius Cole, John Tingley, William Hathaway, Elijah Bennett, 
Elkenah Bates, Silas Orcutt, Mayhew Steward, Cyrus B. Packard, Joshua Packard, 
William Godfrey, David Crout, John Crout, Jacob Foster, Asa R. Bacon, James 
Bacon, Phoebe Foster, John Belcher, Daniel Russ, Sylvester Boody, Justus G. New- 
comb, Ira Sly, John Hunt, John Haskins, Barnabas Bonuey, Alden Gregory, Lu- 
,ther Evans, Jonathan C. Freelaud and James Wescott. 

The first marriage in town six south, one east, occm-red this year (1834), and it may 
be that it was the first in the Valley. There was a marriage on the Chicago road this 
year at the house of Cornelius Millspaw, within the territorial limits of the township 
now called Woodstock, and another at or near what is now called Gambleville, in the 
township of Somerset, but the time of year is at present unknown. The only other 
marriage in the Valley, this year, was that of Mr. and IMi's. Sprague, of Pittsford, on 
Christmas day. I'his Rollin marriage took place at the house of Mr. William Beal. 
Hiram Aldrich and Eliza Titus were the parties, and John Comstock, a justice of the 
peace of the township of Logan, tied the knot. 

The wife of John Upton died in June. 1834, and was buried on the frfrm of her hus- 
band. Mary Vosbmg, daughter of Salem and Lydia Vosbm-g, was born on the 37th 
.day of August, 1834. She was the first white child born in that township, and still 



44 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

lives on the old homestead. Thus there was a birth, marriage and death, withinr 
the limits of the township during the first year after the settlement of its first family. 

MiLLSPAw's.— In the year 183,3, there were two families residents of town five south,, 
one east— Cornelius Millspaw and Jesse Osborn. Quite a number of persons bought 
land during that year, but the larger part weVe persons who lived or afterwards 
lived in the neighboring to\vnships, and it was held for speculative purposes only. In 
1834 a large number of other persons purchased lands, and some of them settled 
on their lands. Among the latter was Nahum Lamb, who arrived in the township 
on the first day of September, 1834. Mr. Lamb remained an inhabitant of the town- 
ship until his death. When Woodstock was organized as a separate township in 18.36, 
Mr. Lamb was elected its first Supervisor. During this year, 18S4, Mr. Jacob Lair 
settled in the township. Besides those already mentioned, the following named per- 
sons purchased lands in the township : Section 4, Moses N. Davenport, June 33d. 
Section 8, Bartholomew Johnston, June 19; Matthew Bushberry, Dec. 24th. Section 
9, King D. Betts, July 21st. Section 10, Willard Joslin, July 3d. Section 11, Abner 
Graves, Jr., Elisha Benedict and Charles Benedict, May 37th. Section 13, Theodore 
J. Van DenBrook, May 32d ; Thomas McCourtie and William Powers, June 13th. Sec- 
tion 18, Edward S. Bascom, Oct. 2Tth ; Charles S. Cleveland, Nov. 5th. Section 32, 
Martin Case, May 2Uth ; Stephen Perkins and Jedediah Raymond, July 14th. Section 
2.5. Charles AVhite, June 7th; Nelson Crittenden, Feb. 4th. Section 3.3, Isaac Titus 
and David Biniis. :Nrarch 3d. Section 34, David Steer, Aug, 37; Alexander Ellsworth, 
July 14th ; Saiuucl Skinner, July 10th. Section 3G, Neheraiah Hands, June 24th. 

The first wedding (iccurrcd this year at the house of Cornelius Millspaw, and the 
bride was Mary Ann. the daughter of that worthy pioneer. The bridegroom was 
Thomas Jolls, and the officiating clergjnnau was the Rev. Mr. George, a Universalist 
minister of Philadelphia. 

Gamble's.— On the ninth day of March, 1834, Thomas Gamble, the senior, bought' 
out James Van IIouven))urg and settled in town five south, one west, where he con- 
tinued to live until his death. Jonathan Ilaynes settled in the township. He was 
afterwards for many years a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was 
a good neighbor and a zealous Christian until his death. The other settlers of 1834, 
were : Amos Hixson, Lewis Carrier, Samuel Mills, Elias II. Kelley, Hezekiah Gris- 
wold, Jeremiah Loucks. Danifl Strong, Sanniel O. Clark. Eli Bugbee, George Oncans, 
Arza Finney, David Biniis, 'William Welch, Rulus (illtVtrd, David Catelle, Benjamin 
D. Bond, Stephen Darliiiuton, Gideon llarkness, David Ilarkness, Zachariah Van 
Duzer, Jabez II. Jackson, William Gallop, Stephen Vail, Welcome Graham and Wil- 
liam T. Webster. It is proV)able tliat sonie of these did not become actual settlers of 
the township. 

During the winter of 1833-4, David Herrington died, the first death in the township.. 
On the 8th day of April, 1834, Mrs. Griswold departed this life, a few days after giving 
birth to a daughter. The child died about two weeks later. 

Sophia Pratt was the first school teacher of the township. She was maiTied the- 
following winter to Samuel Clark. It is related, concerning this manlage, that an 
itinerant r>a!)tist Elder, named Bodley, was expected around about that time, but on 
account (if tlie lack of roads, the coming of itinerant ministers was so uncertain, they 
could not be depended on in an important matter like this, so a justice of the peace- 
was brought from Jonesville to perform the ceremony. The Elder was on hand, 
however, but the majesty of the law triumphed and the 'Squire married the coiiple. 

The first chiu-ch in the township was organized in the spring of 1834. It w-as a 
Baptist church at or near Gambleville. Mrs. Gay tells an amusing story con- 
cerning her first attendance at religious meeting in the territory. She had latterly 
lived in Alban^-, where people dressed up to go to church, and to her it seemed a 
necessary concomitant to church going. She had brought her apparel with her, of 
course, and nothing was more natural than for her to wear it to chm^ch. Arrayed int 



THE BEAN CREEK VALI^Y, 



45 



her silk dress, leghorn bonnet and lace shawl, silk stockings and morocco slippers, 
she entered the extemporized sanctuary. The contrast was so great as to at once carry 
a pang to her heart. Her sisters of the settlement were there in calico dresses and 
sun-bonnets, coarse shoes and woolen stockings, and at least two liad no stockings at 
all. The services were not interesting to Mrs. Gay. How earnestly she wished for 
her calico dress and sun-bonnet, that she might be at ease and unob.served. So true 
it is that propriety is essential to happiness, that good and harmless, and even the 
useful and valuable tilings of earth in unseemly surroundings will give pain to a 
sensitive and cultivated mind. Silks and furbelows, leghorn and morocco, were out 
of place among the homelier but more appropriate attire of backwoods life. Mi-s. 
Gay realized all this in an instant, hence the acute misery she endured during the 
services of that day. 

Mookb's Skttlemext. 

When the winter of 183?) closed in, there was but one family within the territorial 
limits of tovniship six south, one west, and that was Silas Moore's. Three other men 
had purchased land, viz : Mahlon, Jacob and Edmund B. Brown. The next informa- 
tion of the to^NTi we have been able to obtain is of the date of Jime, 18;>t. In that 
month Mr. Stephen Knapp, of Clarkston. Monroe county, N. Y., visited the township 
and lodged at the house of Edmund B., commonly called Burrows Brown. Brown told 
Knapp he had some excellent land, which he would show him. The next morning he 
took Knapp out and showed him two lots on section fourteen. One was what is 
known as wind-fall, the other was handsome timber. Knapp had intended to pur- 
•chase two lots, and had brought three hundred dollars with him for that purpose, but 
Brown asked four hundred dollars for these two lots. It was finally agreed that 
Knapp should buy the laud, pay three hundred dollars down, and the other one 
hundred when he returned to settle on the land. The contract was put in writinw by 
Timothy Gay, of the next township north, now called Somerset. Mr. Knapp after- 
wards learned that, at the time he made the conhact. Brown had no title to one of the 
lots, but purchased it of the government afterwards. This Brown was a land-shark, 
and perpetrated his little joke on quite a number of settlers. One of his intended 
victims was warned by Brown's wife, and escaped his clutches. Some time in tlie 
month of September following, Stephen Knapp and family left Clarkston, Monroe 
county, N.Y., for their new home in Michigan. Their departiu-e had been delayed 
more than a montli by an expected domestic event. Their goods were shipped by 
canal to Buffalo, from there by steam to Detroit. James Knapii, the eldest son, ac- 
■companied the goods ; with his wife and three other children, one of them a month old 
infant, Stephen Knapp came by wagon through Canada. The trij) through Canada 
-consumed eleven days' time, and on their arriving at Detroit they found James there 
with the goods. The family came on by the Chicago road, which they found very 
soft, and the traveling was very slow. From Clinton they turned southward, 
through Tecumseh and Adrian, to the house of Zebulon Williams, then residing in 
the township of Madison, three miles, or thereabouts, south of Adi'ian. Here the 
wife and smaller children were left for a time, until a house could be built, and the 
household goods could be brought from Detroit. The drawing of the goods, owing to 
the almost impassable condition of the roads, was a tedious operation ; ten miles a day 
with a load was all the distance the team could make. Perry Knapp says he remem- 
bers to have heard this yarn spun in a Chicago road hotel while hauling those goods : 
" A traveler saw a hat lying on the surface of the thin mud ; he attempted to pick it up. 
when he heard in sepulchral tones, ' Let go my hat.' The finder inquired, ' What are 
you doing there ?' ' Traveling on the Chicago pike.' ' Do you want any help ?' 'No, 
I have a good horse under me.' " 

At length, however, despite the bad roads, the last load of goods was in, and on the 
30th day of November, 1834, the family of Stephen Knapp took posseesion of thr 



46 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



house, which had meanwhile been built. This family made the fourth in that 
township. The others were Silas Moore, Anson Jackson, and Burrows Brown. Diir- 
ing the winter Mr. Knapp fenced twenty acres of his wind-fall laud. 

Eli Eastman entered his land Jime l(3th, ISSi, but did not move onto it until the next 
year. Other persons entered lands during the year, viz : Hiram Hatfield, ^May 16th ; 
.John H. Converse, April 2'2(1 ; Seaton Hoxie, May 6th ; Manly Holmes, May 30th ; 
William Holmes, Dec. 13th; Thos. Farmer, May 5th; Stephen Vail, June 19th; Job 
A. Moore, Aug. 2:M ; Hiram Graham, Oct. 8th ; Stephen K. Geddings, Oct. 20th ; John 
Jackson, March 37th ; Jabez H. Jackson, April 10th; Burton Lamphere, Nov. 30th; 
Myron ISIcGee, Dec. 9th; Jesse Hill, June 3d; Achsah Eastman, June 16th; Frances 
Hill; George W. Brearly, May 30th; Israel Pennington, June 7th ; Orange Latourette, 
June 9th; John Bryant, June 11th ; Clarinda Cook, June 16th; John Howell, April 
18th; Jacob Brown, June 13th; Closinda Cook, Nov. 15th; Jesse Hill, Jan. 2d; Mar- 
shal Alvord and Joseph Alvord, June 10th ; John O'Brien, June 12th ; Robert August, 
Nov. 31st ; Zebulon Williams, Dec. 17th ; Amos Hare, May 30th ; Robert Cox, June 
5th and 13th; John Pennington, June 7th; Lorenzo Church, July 14th; Joseph W. 
Ashley, Oct. 6th ; L. Cliurch, July 14th; Walter CiUver and William Culver, Nov.. 
26th; BuiT S. Nortliup, June 2d. None of these except Farmer settled on their land 
that year. 

Silas Farmer must have settled on his land in the month of December, 1834. Perry 
Knapp says he was not there when their family came, November 30th , and Eli Eastman 
says he was there when he came in January, 1835. 

In town five south, two west (Moscow), there was quite a large increase of popula- 
tion during 1834. Among those who settled that year were Aaron Spencer, Peter 
Atwell, and William Benson. Mrs. Brown, mother of Mr^. Daniel Aiken, died this 
year. 

In the sunnuer of 1834 Delilah Blackmar taught a school in a private house. In the 
whiter of 1834-35 Seth Ke*ipton taught the school, the first part of the term in the 
same private house, and the remainder of the term in the first school house, which 
was finished during that winter. 

J835, AND TO Makcii 1st, 18;56. 

In the winter of 1834-5 the Legislative Council broke up the Valley into smaller 
organizatious. Town six south, one east, was organized and named Rollin. Town* 
five, six, seven, eight, ninn and fractional ten south, range one west, were organized 
into a single township and named Wheatland; and towns five, six, seven, eight, nine 
and fractional ten south, range two west, were organized into a single township and 
named Moscow. At the close of the session of 1834-35, town seven south, one east 
(Hudson), remained a part of the township of Lenawee; towns eight, nine and frac- 
tional ten south, ranges one and two east (Medina and Seneca in Michigan, and Gnrham 
and Chesterfield in Ohio), remained a part of the township of Fairfield. Townships 
now named Somerset, Wheatland, Pittsford and Wright constituted the township of 
Wlicat'.aiHl, and townships now called Moscow, Adams, Jefi'erson, Ransom and the 
cast jiait of Amboy constituted the tOA^Tiship of ^loscow. 

ROLLIN. 

The first township meeting was held on the sixth day of April, 18:35, at the house of 
Joseph Real, so says the statute ; but for Real we should evidently read Beal, for 
there the meeting was in fact held. Matthew Bennett was elected moderator, and 
William Beal, clerk. Matthew Bennett was elected supervisor; William Beal, town- 
ship clerk; David Steer, James Bacon and Josepli Beal, assessors; Elijah C. 
Bennett, collector; David '.Steer and John T. Comstock, directors of the poor; War- 



THE BEAN CHEEK VALLEY. 47^ 

ner Aylesworth, Asa R. Bacon and Joseph C. Beal, commissioners of higliways; 
Elijah A. Bennett, constable; Joseph Gibbon, Orson Green and Joseph Steer, 
coramissionei-s of common schools; Joseph Gibbons, Orson Green, Joseph Steer, 
Elijah C. Bennett and James Boodery, " school inspectors of common schools." 

It was voted that "our cattle, hogs and sheep, run at large the ensuing year;" and 
••our pathmasters be fence-viewers." The record does not state the number of votes 
polled at the township meeting, but at the general election, held on the fifth and sixth 
days of October, 1835, there were fifteen votes polled for Governor, three votes for 
Lieutenant Governor, nine votes for Senator, fifteen votes for Representative in Con- 
gress ; three votes were given for " Representative of Michigan." Of the votes given 
for Governor, Stevens T. Mason received three, and .John Biddle received twelve ; 
Edward Mundy received the three votes for Lieutenant Governor; Olmsted Hoiigh, 
Edward D. Ellis, and Laurent Durocher,each received three votes for Senator; Wil- 
liam Woodbridge received thirteen votes for Representative in Congress, and Isaac 
E. Crary received three votes ; Allen Hutchins, Hiram Dodge, James Wheeler, and 
Darius Meed, each received three votes for "Representative of Michigan." There 
Avere also twelve votes cast against the ratification of the Constitution of Michigan, 
and one for its ratification. The reader will notice, perhaps, a discrepancy between 
the statement of the whole number of votes given for the office of Representative in 
Congress and the aggregate of votes stated to be given to the two candidates. Fifteen 
is said to be the whole number given for the ofnce, while Woodbridge is said to have 
received thirteen, and Crary three. From a careful review of the vote it seems plain 
that Woodbridge only received twelve votes. 

The reader will also have noticed, perhaps, that at the township meeting no justices 
of the peace were elected. That meeting was held under the territorial laws, and 
by these laws justices were appointed by the Legislative Council. That position 
Avasheld, no doubt, by Joseph Beal, whose name appears as one of the inspectors of 
the election. 

In May, this year, Dr. Leonard G. Hall settled in this township, and has ever since 
been a resident of the Bean Creek Valley. For several years his ride extended over 
a vast extent of territory. He Avas kind, skillful and attentive, and nearly all the 
earliest settlers have had occasion to call down blessings on liis head. In the same 
month Daniel Rhodes and his son William came into the toAvnship, and in June John 
Foster located land on section tAventy-seven, and immediately commenced operations 
there. Barnabas Bonney settled on section thirteen, and Samuel Comstock, having 
purchased an intei-est in the lands of the RoUin Mill Company, built a house and 
moved into it in the month of July. 

In April of this year, work Avas commenced on the saAV mill in Rollin. Mr. William 
Beal was made superintendent of the Avork, and for that purpose left his farm and 
dwelt on the mill property. The mill frame Avas raised in the fall of that year, and in 
November of that year the saAving of lumber commenced and enabled the settlers to 
make their cabins more comfortable for the approaching Avinter. The saAV mill 
finished, preparations Avere at once commenced for the building of a gi^ist mill. 

In the fall Bishop Va'.i Wert, Jacob Foster and the three Ilaskins settled in the 
township. 

Sometime during the summer of this year a postoffice Avas established at or near 
the mill property, and William Beal Avas made postmaster and Porter Beal mail car- 
rier. Before that,- the settlers of all the northern ])art of the Valley had to go to 
Adrian for their mail matter, Avhich Avas no small task. From the western part of 
the Valley a day and a half Avas required to go to the postoffice, and each letter cost 
the recipient tAventy-five cents,— compulsory prepayment Avas not then in vogue. 

Thompson, Avho liad opened a small trading establishment south of the lake, at- 
tempted to sell Avhisky to settlers and Indians. He Avas cited to appear at Adrian,. 
AA'hich effectually squelclicd the business in that toAvnsbip for some time. 



48 TUE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



Among the piuchasers of real estate in 1835 were these: Erastus Faniham, July 
-3d; Elijah BioAvnell, July 11th; John Talbot, May 11th; Amos Steer, June 25th; 
Oliver Griswold, Nov. 6th ; Darius Cole, Feb. 20th ; Leonard G. Hall, June 22 ; Stephen 
Vail, Barnabas Bonney, June 1st; William Godfrey, June 3d; James Kenly, June 
18th; Harvey Houghton, May 27th; Joseph Webster, Nov. 2l9t; Abraham P. Vos- 
burgh, William Campbell, Nov. 21st; J. Warner Aylesworth, Ezra Lord, July 10th; 
John Haskins, Matthew Bennett, Abijah S. Clark, Phebe H.Clark, May 11th; Luther 
Evans, July 3d; Lydia Howland, June 4th; Calvin Jenks, June loUi; Samuel Com- 
stock, July 7th; Hiram Hitchcock, Jared Comstock, June 19th; Rachael S. Beal, July 
18th; Sylvester White, Oct. 20th; John Foster, June 1st; Lorenzo Sheldon, Thomas 
Kealey, June 0th ; Edward Knapp, May 26th ; Daniel Peck. May 36th ; Eufus Peck. 
Ira Jones, June %; Moses T. Bennett, July 16th. 



LENAWEE TOWNSHIP. 



At the township meeting, held on Monday, tlie sixth day of April, 183.5, William 11. 
Porter was elected Suitervisor, Jfrt-iuiah D. Thompson, Township Clerk, and Calvin 
Bradish, Lyman Pease and Stephen Perkins, Assessors. The wolf bounty— tliree 
•dollars per head— was continued. During the year William Mills received bounties 
for eleven wolves slain, Bart White for six, Edward Bassett for four, Jacob Jackson 
for three, David Bixby for four, Joseph Cerow for one, and Robert Johnston for four, 
—making a total of thirty-three wolves killed. 

We are more especially interested in that part of the township of Lenawee lying 
within the valley of the Bean, and we therefore will turn our attention to town seven 
-south, of range one west. 

During the winter, axes liad been wielded by busy hands in and around the Lanes- 
ville settlement, and in the early spring time preparations for clearing began. The 
mill dam was repaired and the mill started ; the maple was tapped and the year's 
supply of sugar and vinegar provided. But before sugar could be made kettles suita- 
ble for boiling must be provided, and Simeon Van Akin relates that he took Mr. 
Lane's oxen and drove to Adrian in search of kettles. He found none there, and went 
thence to Tecumseh and Monroe. In the latter place he procured two — one for him- 
self and one for Mr. Lane. 

In the spring of 1835 Michael Dillon came in and commenced chopping on his land 
entered the year previous. He was accompanied by his brother Dennis. Sometime 
in the summer Michael returned East for his family. 

In the month of April, 183.5. Mr. John Rice and Mrs. il. K. Douglass Avere united in 
the bands of wedlock by Oliver Piu-chase, a justice of the peace. JIi-s. Douglass 
was a widow, a sister of Mr. Lane. This was tlie first marriage in the territor.\ 
which now constitutes the township of Hudson. 

In the month of May, probably the third day, Mr. Lane organized a Sunday school 
at his house. In a published statement, JNlr. Lane said it occurred May seventh ; but 
as the almanac for that year makes the seventh fall on Thursday, there is a strong 
probability that Mr. Lane is mistaken. 

On the 10th day of June, 1835, Noali Cressey and wife settled on section thirty-two. 
adjoining land of Michael Dillon. Mr. Cressey, as well as the Dillons, came to the 
Valley by the southern or Canandaigua route, and because the lands of northern 
Medina were well culled, drifted over into Hudson and commenced a settlement. 
Between them and tiie Lanesville settlement there was an unbroken belt of timber, 
which effectually cut off intercourse, while the Medina settlements were compara- 
tively easy of access. Therefore for many years that neighborhood ti-aded and visited 
with the Medina people, and were, for all business and social purposes, identifictl 
with them. 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 49 



July 27th, Mrs. Davis, the mother of Reuben and Samuel Davis, died. It vras the 
first death in the township. 

On the 38th, same month, George Salisbury opened the first I>anesville store. The 
stock comprised j^roceries and notions. 

Duting the spring and summer the Kidder mill was kept in constant motion, sawing 
'■outnumber, with which to finish the log bouses of settlers in the township and also in 
the toM'nships of RoUin and Wheatland. These two saw mills possessed great powers 
of civilization, and through their agency puncheon floors and bark roofs and gables 
began to disappear, and new liouses were now finished with shake roofs and sided 
gable's. It marked a new era in the settlement of the Valley. 

On Saturday, the 8th day of August, the citizens of town seven south, one east, met 
to consider the propriety of petitioning the new State Legislature, which, if the new 
-constitution was adopted at the October election, would convene for its first session on 
the ninth day of November, to organize town seven south, one east, into a separate 
township. The question was decided in the affirmative, and on the suggestion of 
^Hiram Kidder it was named Hudson, after Dr. Daniel Hudson, of Geneva, N. Y., who 
-was the senior partner of the company that purchased the first land in the township. 
The Legislature only continued in session six days, and took no action in reference to 
organizing townships. The State was not yet admitted into the Union, and the 
Legislature only took action in reference to a transfer of jurisdiction when the State 
should be admitted. 

Among the items of expenditure mentioned in the ajipropriation bill of that session 
were the following: To Mrs. Warren and daughter, for making carpet, tlie sum of 
eight dollars ; to Levi Skinner, three dollars for polishing stoves for Senate chamber. 
Representatives' hall and Governor's room ; to Wright «& Solomon, for two mahogany 
tables and desks furnished Senate chamber, the sum of eighty dollars ; to McArthur 
■& Hurlburt, for candles, two dollars and nineteen cents. No petroleum ! No gas ! 
The primitive capitol of our State was lighted with tallow candles. 

On Sunday, the ninth day of August, the first religious meeting was held in the 
township, at the house of Mr. Lane. 

About this time William Frazee came and bought out Reuben Davis. The premises 
now occupied by William Ocobock, on the southwest corner of section nineteen, was 
a part of his farm. Salmon Trask, wife and daughter, and also a Miss Abigail Dick- 
inson came from Massachusetts and settled on section eighteen. 

In November Mr. Lane built a frame house where the Comstock House now stands. 
It was the first frame house built in the township, and was occupied by Father 
Nathaniel Lane and wife and their son Erastus. 

The same month Mr. Alexander Findley came and cleared a part of the Cobb land, 
-and built a log house in anticipation of the arrival of Harvey Cobb and family. 

During this month (November) the settlement in the south part of tlie township 
received some recruits. On Monday the second day of November, Father Elisha 
Brown and family arrived at the house of his son-in-law, Noah Cressey. The Brown 
party consisted of Father Brown and wife, his son Lorenzo L. and wife, and his other 
sons, Clement, David, Lewis, George, William and Noah, and Dolly Elwell, a niece 
of Mr. Noah Cressey. Miss Elwell afterwards married Dr. Stephen Caner, and is now 
the wife of Mr. Oliver Kelly, of Pittsford. Father Brown had purchased his lands 
'Of Robert Huston, and there was the body of a small house, roofed, but otherwise 
-unfinished, on the land. 

About two days after, Michael Dillon arrived with his family, and on Sunday 
evening, November eighth, the Rev. William E. Warner and family arrived at the 
<;abin of Father Brown. He had bought his land of second hands without having 
seen it, and he was now in search of it. His land proved to be on the north side of 
section four, in town eight soutli, about two miles from the Brown domicil. Mr. 
Warner was invited to make his home among the Browns until he could build a 
liouse, and he accepted the invitation. During his stay there were no less than 



50 THE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 

twenty persons fed and lodged at the Ciessey and Brown small, one-roomed cabins.- 
It was rather crowded, but then, they were not lonesome. 

The Rev. William E. Warner had, in the State of New York, been a local preacher 
of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, at times taking temporary work 
under Presiding Elders. Here he found himself providentially thrown in the midst 
of a large family of Methodists, and he improved the occasion by preaching at the 
house of Xoah Cressey the next Sunday, November the 15th, and organizing a class, 
of which he appointed Lorenzo L. Brown leatler. The congregation that day was 
made up from the members of three families, viz.. Brown, Cressey and Dillon. 

As Mr. Lane remembers the incident, on teh 11th day of December, 1835, Friday, 
the Rev. W^illiam Wolcott preached the first sermon in the Lanesville settlement. He 
also organized a temperance society. Both the religious and temperance meetings- 
were held at Mr. Lane's house. In the fall of 1835, Miss Abigail Dickinson taught a 
.school in the village of Lanesville. July Sth, Beriah IL Lane sold a one-fourth inter- 
est in the saw-mill to William H. H. Van Akin, and December 1st sold a one-foui'tli 
interest to Simeon and William H. H. Van Akin. 

During the year the following persons purchased land in the west third of Lenawee 
township, viz. : Edward Knapp, John Johnson, Lester C. Bennett, Ezekiel Yerring- 
ton, Ezra Lord, Reuben Snell, Calvin Jenks, Jesse R. Treadwcll, Samuel Sager, 
Dudley Worden, Thomas Keeley, Edward Keeley, James tireen, Ami Crosby, (Jris- 
wold Latham, Edward Edmunds, Silas Palmer, Benjamin Palmer, John Ilutchins, 
Reuben Hutchins, John W. Stockwell, Uriah Daniels, Jeremiah D. Thompson, L. 
Hotchkiss, John 11. Willis, Elias Gage, John Hooper, Prudence Page, Constans 
Rowley, John Townsend, William Clark, Porter L. Howland, Noah Palmer, Moses 
Moore, Pardon Davenport, James Van Akin, 3d, Elizabeth Van Akin, Thonias 
Will, Benjamin Mills, Joseph Mills, Reed Sutton, Joseph R. Reynolds, John Rice, 
Solomon Sej-mour, Caleb D. Ferris, John Colwell, Daniel C. Cooper, Augustus ^y. 
Childs, Oren C. Nichols, Gideon L. Bebee, James Grannin, Jason Gratton, Peter 
Bovee, Abram Bovee, Thomas Farroll, Joseph Rickey, Richard Hawkins, William 
Haley, Matthias 11. Bovee, John II. Bovee, Oliver W. Alverson, John Drew, Dennis 
Dwyer, William Carson, Noah Cressey, Hiram Van Akni, Alexander D. Anderson, 
John Beal, Henry Barton, Thomas J. Huntington, Artemas Allen, Edward H. 
Miller, Gordon II. Leeds, Jacob LeRoy, Timothy Sabin and Nathan Elli()tt. 

On the twenty-fourth day of February, 1836, several persons assembled at tlie house 
of Alpheus Pratt in Wheatland (now Pittsford), to consider the propriety of organiz- 
ing a church. The Rev. William Wolcott presided as moderator. Twenty-four per- 
sons presented letters of church uienibership, viz.: Salmon Trask, John L. Taylor, 
Elijah B. Seeley, Nelson R. Rowley, Daniel Loomis, Ozen Keith, John Perrin, 
Simeon Van Akin, Jesse Suiitli, Stephen W. Perrin, Beriah H, Lane, Cecil Keith, 
Orinda Seeley, Phoebe Lane, Sarah Nye, Emily Perrin, Bcthesda Perrin, Iluldah 
Caldwell, Sarah Frazee, Clarinda Taylor, Mhierva Riuc, Margaret Van Akin, Zer- 
uiah Trask and Martha Keith. These persons adopted a rescilutidn agreeing to unite 
themselves together in a church of Christ, to be called the " First Presbyterian 
€hm-ch of Bean Creek," and on their re(iuest thus expressed, the Rev. Mr. Wolcott 
constituted them a church by such designation. William Frazee and Caroline Loo- 
mis, upon profession of their faith, were baptized and received into the new church. 
Salmon Trask, Elijah B. Seeley,'iNelson R. Rowley, and John L. Taylor were elected 
Elders, and the three first were innnediately ordained. Beriah II. Lane was elected 
church clerk. The reader will have noticed that the meeting for organization con- 
vened in the township of AVheatland, now Pittsford, and it is equally true that seveu- 
teeen out of the twenty-four persons participating in its organization, lived in the 
township of Wheatland as then organized ; but as the church afterwards became the 
Congregational church of Hudson, it is grouped ^^■ith the historical incidents of 
western Lenawee. 
The same day there was a wedding at the house of Beriah H. La'ie, in Lanesville. , 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



The bride was Miss Abijjail Dickinson, and tlie groom Mr. George ,'^alisbiiry. The 
Rev. WiMiam Wolcott perfornieii the ceremony. 

WESTERN FAIRFIELD. 

William Cavender settled on his land in the month of March, 1835, and his brother- 
in-law, Samuel Gregg, bnilt a house on the land Cavender purchased in town eight 
south, one east, and commenced keeping tavern. That original tavern stood on thC' 
.site of the present hotel in Canantlaigua. Of this enterprise Mr. Gregg says: Mr.. 
Cavender moved on his premises, and in March, 1835, I went there and bnilt me 
a log house twenty by thirty feet, took my lumber from Adrian, and moved my 
family April 16th. Soon after I made an addition of twelve feet to one side, for a 
cook-room and dining-room, and came to Adrian to purchase some groceries — whisky 
and brandy— and told tliem I was going to keep tavern. They thought that was a 
novel idea, and laughed at me, and had their own fun about it. I told them all I 
wanted of them was to send on the land-lookers; and in June and July I had more 
customers than I could attend to, frequently from twelve to twenty at a time, and one^ 
night thirty-tive land-lookers. 

Francis II. Ilagaman, Burns Cavender and Orrin Pixley stood ready at all times,, 
with compass and chart, to pilot the land-lookers to where they could find govern- ' 
ment land, at a charge of two dollars ])er day. In less than six months most of the 
land in the township was purchased, and a large portion by actual settlers. 

Among the persons who purchased land in town eight south, range one east, in the 
year 1835, were these, viz: William M. Woodworth, Feb. 'id ; Joseph Pixley, March, 
12th; Henry Barton, ,Ian. 29th; Thomas Williams, May 11th; W. V. J. Mercer and H.- 
Handy, June 15th; Dan B. Miller, July 30th; Moses S. Beach, Jmie 2d; William T.. 
Pratt, June 18th; William II. ^Manning, Jinie 20tli; Joseph Fellows, June 16th; Ca- 
lista Budlong and Alfred W. Budlong, Jan. 18th; Thomas Dewey, Aug. 14th; Benja- 
niiu C. Duiiey, May 25th ; Lorenzo (t. Budlong, Jan. 18th; Salem T. King, Jan. 22tl; 
Alexander Duncan, July 6th and 22d;Paid Raymond, July 10th; Luther Bradish,, 
June 23d; Bartlett R. Bradish, Seth W. Bradish and Charles W. Bradish, June 23d; 
Jacob Le Roy, Dec. 5th; Samuel Warren, July :30th; John D. Sutton and Levi Salis- 
bury, May 29th ; II. Edmunds, June 10th; S.Johnson, June 4th ; Joseph B. Marry, 
Jmiel3th; John Martin, Dec. 12th ; John L. Bean, May 29th; Samuel Ranger, Jan. 
29th; Joseph llagaman, Feb. 10th; Morris Boughton, April 18th; Henry McCimiisky, 
April 22d; Jonathan N. Pickard, May 7th; Peter Countryman, May 7th; John L.. 
Hall, May 20th ; Robert Craven, June 8th; Russell Forsyth, June 29th; Suffrenas 
Dewey, Jan. 21st; Alexander D. Anderson, Aug. 17th; John Starkweather, March. 
Uith; Simon D. Wilson, June 2d; Richard P. Hunt, July 27th; Alanson Munger,. 
Sept. 18th; John Powers, May 21st, Cornelius DeMott, Oct. 13th; Mary P. Todd, 
May 27th; Gabriel H. Todd, June 12th; Orphelia B. Hopkins, Jan. 13th; Ruel 
Thayer, July 11th; John O'Brien, Sept. 8th; George Bennett, July 21st; Joseph Bai- 
ley, Oct. 30th; William B. Waldron, June 3d; William Walworth, May 22d; James A 
Rogers, June 1st; John B. Skinner, July 2:M; Willard Stevens, Sept. 18th; Seba Mur- 
phy, Oct. 3d ; John Countryman, May 7th ; Amasa P. Converse, May 16th ; Christo- 
pher H. Stillwell, June 1st; Russell Forsyth, Jan. 39th; James S. Dawes, Sept. 26th; 
James Murray, Jan. 13th; Martin Millett, Jan. 13th; Chester Savage, Feb. 25th;. 
RoUin R. Hill, May 7th ; George Lee, iSIay 22d ; Theodore Coburn, June 29th ; Lewis. 
Shepardson, May 15th ; Noah K. Green, June 1st; Thomas Denny, Aug. 14th ; Calvin 
L. Rogers, June 6th ; Ephraim Baldwin, June 6th ; Cornelius Bayless, Oct. 5th ; Han- 
nah Camburn, April 18th; Paul Raymond, June 1st; John McVicar, Juuelst; Al- 
exander Seeley, Oct. 6th ; James W. Morris, Dec. 22d ; Almon Palmer, Sept. 9th ; 
George W. Brower, Dec. 3d ; David Countryman, Dec. 9th ; James Hornbeck, July 
20th; Elkanah Pai-ker, May 19th; Cornelius G. Palmer, May 22d; Lorenzo D. Per- 
kins, June 10th; Justus Cooley, Oct. 20th; E. J. Baldwin, June 2d. 



52 THE BEAX CREEK VALLEY. 

In town nine south, one east, Calvin King, March 30th ; Juba S. Palmer, Alarcli 
^Ist; Tibbals Baldwin, June 2d; Dennis Wakefield, Aug. 39th; Levi B. AVilder, 
3Iarchloth; Cornelius G. Palmer, May 22d ; Levi Goss, Julylltli; F,. Barnes, July 
7th; Lewis M Gates, July 14th; Isaiah Townsend and Jabin Townsend, June 39th; 
William Jones and John Jones, July 14th; D^vid Cross, Jan. 26th; Cornelius G. 
Palmer, May 23d; Azaph K.Porter, May 22d; Marciuis Baldwin, June 2d; Christopher 
Bush, Jan. 15th; John Gould, Feb. 19th; Jacob TenEyck and Moses C. Baker. Jan. 
19th; Uriah E. Wright, May 8th ; Peter Burns and Patrick Burns, May 19th ; W. Lee, 
Hay 33d ; Joseph W. Turner, June 8th ; Adam S. Sebring, Jan. 9th. 

In the month of September, 18:3.5, the first sermon was preached by the Rev. Will- 
iam Wolcott, then of Adrian, now a resident of the village of Hudson. Tlie sermon 
was preached in Gregg's bar-room, on the invitation of Mr. Gregg. 

In October, 18:35, Dr. Increase S. llamilton settled in Canandaigua. The same fall 
the first school house was built, on the farm of William Cavender. Dr. llamilton 
taught the first school in the winter of 1835-6. 

In the fall of 18:35, William Cavender bought the land owned by William Walworth 
— the site of the Canandaigua mills — and commenced building a saw-mill. It sawed 
its first lumber April 13th, 18:36. 

In the month of November, 1835, the Eev. William E. Warner settled on section 
■four in town eight south, one east. He had formerly resided iu the State of New 
York; was there a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a local preacher. 
His large and still increasing family rendered it impossible for him to enter the itin- 
•erancy permanently, but for several years he had traveled circuits under the direc- 
tion of the Presiding Elders thereof. In 1835, feeling the ini})ortaiu'e of finding a 
Jiome for his large family, he traded what property he had f(u- :\nchigan land, never 
having seen the land or even been in the territory. He came l)y wagon to Adrian, 
:and there inquiring for the Bean Creek country, was directed to go out on the Terri- 
torial road. After several days' travel, he found himself on the Chicago road, north 
-of Devil's Lake. He then turned southward through the forests, and madehis way 
,-as well as he could toAvards where he supposed his land to be. After a tedious jour- 
ney he arrived at the abode of Noah Cressy, on section thirty-two, in town seven 
;south, two miles from his land, on the evening of Sunday, the eighth day of Novem- 
ber, 1835. . There he found brethren of his own church, for the Brown familes had 
arrived only the Monday previous. A few weeks later he moved into a cabin on his 
own land. Mr. Warner was one of the most eloquent men this country was ever 
•blessed with. Always ready, he obeyed every call for ministerial services, whether 
to break the bread of life on a Sunday, or to speak words of consolation to mourning 
friends on a week day. He had no regular v^'ork ; he went everywhere, among all 
-classes of people— fearless always, reposing with confidence on the promise, " Lo, I 
^m with you always." His name was a household word among the settlers, from the 
'Chicago road to the Maumee river, from the Kaisin eastward to the utmost bounds of 
ithe west, as applied to the Bean Creek Valley. As without regular work, so he was 
^without salary. However hard the labor endm-ed in answering the demands for min- 
iisterial labor, he always accepted the proffered remuneration, whether it was a silver 
-dollar or a peck of potatoes, with a pleasant smile and ahearty "God bless you." He 
lived in Medina township for several years, and then removed, about 18.52, to the 
township of Ransom, Hillsdale county, where he lived until his death, which occurred 
.about the year 1871. 

After his removal to Hillsdale county, Mr. Warner imited with the Wesleyan Method- 
ist Church. He was a strong Abolitionist, and believed the Methodist Episcopal 
Church would go to i)ieces on that question, and that he only preceded by a few years 
the transfer of the entire body of anti-slavery Methodists to the Wesleyan fold. But, 
Avhether Episcopal or Wesleyan Methodist, he always had a word for the Master's 
cause, which he never failed to deliver with impassioned eloquence. And yet Mr. 
Warner was not a backwoods prea->her; he was* possessed of considerable culture, 



THE BBAN CREEK VALLEY. 53: 



and would have made his mark in polished society. The old man always wrestlect 
with poverty. His responsibilities increased year by year, and with so mn»h time- 
given to others, it was imix>ssible for him to meet them and accimiulate property- 
Some years after he had removed to Kansom, and whileihis fame as an oraitor still' 
lingered in the memories of his brother pioneers, he was invited to Hudson to deliver 
a Fourth of July oration. The messenger found him boiling potash, but he promised 
to come. He never could say no, wlien the interests of others required sacrifices on 
his part. When he appeared on the streets on the morning of the Fourth, his ward- 
robe was in a sad plight. The Hon. William Baker, a man of large heart and gener- 
ous impulses, took the matter in hand, and when the order to march was given, the 
Elder appeared in procession dressed from top to toe in a new suit of clothes. Well 
were the donors repaid by the fervent eloquence that fell from the old man's lips that 
day. He always spoke extemporaneously, and as he warmed with his subject, his 
spirit was lifted to the regions of prophecy, and he portrayed the certain retribution 
awaiting the nation's sins in words enchanting, yet appalling. The old man lived to 
see the beginning of the end. 

After the Rev. Mr. Wolcott's sermon in Gregg's bar-room in September, 1835, Mr. 
Wolcott continued to preach there once in four weeks during the fall, and a Coiagre- 
gational society was organized, but it soon became extinct. The religious element of 
the Upton and Gregg settlements was largely of the Baptist order, and on the 39th 
day of January, 1836, a church was organized under the name and style of " The 
Baptist Church of Canandaigua." Mr. Cook Hochkiss was Deacon, and Superintend- 
ent of the Sunday School, lleligious services were held in the school house at Canan- 
daigua. 

SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD. 

Comparatively but little land was sold in towns eight and nine south, two east 
(Seneca), in 1S?A, but in 1835 many ])urchases were made, among which were the 
following : Joseph Griffeth, July 2-2;l; Jacob LeRoy, Sept. 3(5th and Dec. 5th; Wash- 
ington Perry, July 35th; JonathauMavsh, jr., Sept. r2th; Leeds & Miller, Dec. 5th; 
Almon Palmer, June 9th ; Lucy R. Haywood, Aug. 10th ; Edgar Webb, Dec. 12th ; 
Samuel Bean, May 39th ; Alexander Duncan, July 6th; Orrln Pixley, Jan. 19th; Ira 
White, July 6th; James D . Manchester, MaySOlh; Joseph Hagaman, Edgar Webb 
and Samuel Skinner, July 10th; Theron White, Sept. 25th; James S. Kinney, May 
36th; David Dunlap, June 1.3th; Elias Kinney, July 3tl; John B. Allen, July 8th; 
Hiram B. Reed, July 23d; Philemon Newanan, June 17th; Cornelius S. Randolph, 
Nov. 13th ; Horatio L. Forbes, June 6th ; Thomas Gerrish, Nov. 3d ; Robert P. 
Thompson, Sept. 33d; Joseph Ferguson, May 33d; Thomas C.Aldrich, May 35th; 
James Rogers, June 1st: Hiram Flager, Oct. 15th; Asa Farley, Peter Flughler and 
Zachariah Flager, Feb. 35th; Benjamin F. Archer, June 39th, Alexander B. Cal- 
lison, July 16th; Wilmarth Graham, July 18th; Samuel Lammon, Oct. 31st; John 
Coddington, Nov. 11th; Joel Shapley, Jan. 15th; Oliver Welch, June 34th; James R. 
Westcott, June 2-lth ; Lucius Atwood, Aug. 14th ; Lyman Wilcox, Nov. 36th ; Reu- 
ben G. Field and Jesse W. Thayer, Sept. 33d ; John W. Eaton, Oct. 30th ; Richard 
H. Whitney, Oct. 31th; Cyrus Whiting. Oct. 34th; Erastus C. Woodworth, James' 
Dalton and John Osborn, May 19th ; George W. Sparks and George Brown, Sept. 
33d ; John Halstead, Sept. 30th ; Norman H. Thurber, Nov. 3d ; Oliver Phelps, Nov. 
3d; David Price, Russel Forsyth and Mary Lammon, July 3d; Paul Raymond, 
Nov. 3d; Jeptha Whitman, Oct 6th; Benjamin Hornbeck, May 27th; David Bur- 
gess, Dec. 7th ; Ezra Cole, Dec. 8th. Town nine south, two east, Joseph R. Williams, 
Nov. 10th ; Howland Hagaman, Nov. 14th ; Nehemiah Crane and T. Coburn. 

Mrs. Brower is said to have been the first white woman settler within the present 
limits of Seneca township. The first child born, which must have been early in 
18a5, was named Alma Brower. In January, 1835, Judith P. Hayward died. In 
3Iay, the second day, the first school house in to'mi eight south, two east, was, 



«54 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



finished. Miss Parson, now Mrs. Miller, still residing in the township of Medina, 
itaught the school that snmmer, and Simon D. Wilson taught it the next winter. 
The school house was a log strnctiue, and was situated in the grove just north of 
Charles B. Wilson's residence. The lirst saw-mill was built in 183.5. 

WHEATLAND. 

In the montli of .January, 1835, Eli Eastman moved into town six south, one west, 
and built a log house on the land he had entered the year previous. He left the State 
of New Yoi'k in is;3.3, coming to Fairfield, Lenawee county, in November, 18:3.3. Here 
he spent the winter of 18,33-4, and in January, 183.5, moved to Wheatland. Before he 
had the body of his house up, Harvey McGee came in and commenced a settlement 
on his land. Mr. Eastman names, as living in that township, the following families : 
Moore, Brown, Knapii, .Jackson and Farmer. 

On the 17th day of March, 1835, the Legislative Council organized towns five, six, 
;seven, eight, nine and fractional ten south, one west, into a township and named it 
Wheatland. The first township meeting was held at tlie house of Thomas Gamble, 
•on the Chicago road. The records of that township meeting are lost, and it is 
imcertain who were elected to office, but it is believed that Heman Pratt was the 
■supervisor. 

A large nimibor of ])(>rsons settled within the territorial limits of tlic townshiji 
during the year ISO."). In town five south, one west (Somerset), the following were 
among the settlers : Itohert T. Brown, C. 'M. McLouth. Ptobert Bilby. A))raham West. 
Alonzo Olds. Elijali Slayton. Allicit AVckkJs, I^eonavd Bailey. Elisha Smith, Aaron 
Van Vleet, Simon H. Baker, Isaac Derby, Alpheus Hill. Albert Parmelee, William 
Weaver, S. Mercer. IMr. ^Nlercer came in tlie month of October. He bought a yoke of 
oxen near Detroit, and his two sons — William, a yoinig man, and Andrew, a lad- 
drove them in. Mr. William fiercer says there were plenty of taverns on the road 
(then ; there vi'ere fourteen or fifteen between Clinton and Gambleville. 

All the old settlers agree that during this year there was an immense travel on the 
Chicago road. There was no time during daylight that there were not some teams in 
sight, and usually there was a continiial and close ]n-ocession throughout the whole 
day. The Chicago roa<I had become pretty well settled, the LaPlaisance Bay road 
had been completed, and the Adrian Territorial road had been so far completed as to 
be used to some extent. Mr. (Jeddes, speaking of the scenes on the LaPlaisance Bay 
turnpike in 1835, says: "One living on the turnpike to-ttay can scarcely realize the 
wonderful changes that have taken place upon that thoroughfare since its construc- 
tion. From 1835 to 1840 there was one continuous procession of movers' wagons. 
iSix foiu'-horse coaches each day ran over the road, loaded with passengers, and all 
was life and activity." This immense ti-avel of the La Plaisance Bay road united 
•with the travel from Detroit at Walker's Junction, in the township of Cambridge, and 
.thence westward it was a mighty procession. 

Among those who purchased lands in town six south, one west (Wheatland), were 
the following: John L. Johnson, Amos White, Sylvester White, Bartlett Bump, 
Benjamin Johnson, Stephen L. Gage, Henry S. McQuig, Elijah Gillett, Jr., Albert 
Vreedenburg, John L. Edmonds, Jonathan Eobbins, Lyman Crothers, Samuel 
Clement, Edwin L. Way, Calvin Carr, Van Rensalaer Conover, Stephen Iloeg, John 
Brailish, Edson Witherell, Isaiah Straw, Gamaliel Burbank, Darius Douglas, Almon 
GoS, Zachariah Paddleford, Samuel D. Douglas, Joscpli W. Ashley, George Miller, 
Geoige Whitney, Abel S. Bailey, Nathan P. Cohvcll, Nathan Whitney, Adam Lull, 
John McKnight, Joseph Paddleford, Charles Carmicluiel, Bradford Carmichael, Silas 
•Carmichael, Zebulen Williams, John Bailey, Isaac Lamb, A. N. Martin, James McGee, 
Simeon P. Gillett, David Currier, Charles II. Tucker, George Nokes, John Penoyer, 
Lyman P. Gillett, Edward Lmnley, James A. Bissell, Samuel Brown, Hiram Ferguson, 
William Bigelow, Charles Mitchell, Ebenezer Trumbull, Jeremiah Ferguson, Lyman 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 55 

Pease, Ambrose Allen, Levi W. Harrington, Griffin Sweet, Joseph R. Briscoe, Simon 
Jacobus, Henry Walker, Anthony Ten Eycke, Abram Viel, Fred Van Patten. Charles 
Osgood, George D. Bradford, Isaiah Talmadge, James Wescott, Fifield H. Piichardson, 
Barnard Gregory, Willis Kelley, David Sti'ong, Sejnnour Van Alstine, Abram Van 
Alstine, Leonard Bilby, Jesse Elsworth, Cromwell McLouth, Alonzo Olds. 

Charles Carmichael moved into the township in the month of October, 1835. He 
left his old home in 18.34, and came to Michigan. He tarried about one year a little 
south of Adrian, and then in October, 183.5, came to this township. He came alone 
and commenced building a house. He boarded with Eli Eastman, who lived in a 
small, one-roomed log house. There was a large emigration that year, and many 
.land-lookers, and the house was full of people day and night. Mr. Carmichael says 
Mrs. Eastman kept the table spread all the time, and all were welcome ; at night they 
lodged on the floor, and the floor was covered nightly. 

Henry Carmichael came December 34th, 1835. He was an unmarried man, and 
had stopped in Ohio the year jirevious, when the family were coming through that 
State on their way to Jliehigan, and taught school for several months. He entered 
his land in 1836. 

During the winter of l&>4-35 Stephen Knapp and his boys fenced a part of their 
wind-fall lands, and in the spring planted eight acres to corn. There were only two 
log heaps on the eight acres, and it plowed as easily as sward land. 

Going to mill was no easy task in those days, although they went no farther than 
Aclrian or Tecumseh. From four to five days was the usual time, but Mr. Knapp 
went to mill once when it took eleven days to make the round trip. While outward 
bound and waiting for the gi'inding it rained so hard that bridges were carried off and 
the causeways submerged; tlie bridges had to be rebuilt and the causeways repaired 
before the return trip could be accomplished. 

Sometime in the sunnner of 1835 Edmund B. Brown— or Burrows Brown, as he was 
called— sold out his property in this township and traveled westward. In 1853 he 
owned a pleasant and valuable farm on the shore of Sand Lake, in St. Joseph county. 
In the fall of that year, while grinding cider apples, he was bitten by a horse; his 
arm was so badly mangled that amputation was necessary, but this he refused to have 
done, and he died. 

Seaton Hoxie was a justice of the peace, whether appointed by Territorial authority 
' or elected by the people at their first township meeting does not appear. He was not 
very highly educated, and it was difficult for him to follow the forms of the law, or to 
understand the necessity or utility of so doing. Being called upon to swear a party 
to an affidavit in attachment, he put it in these terms : "You swear by G— d that you 
are afraid of your pay."' But this is no more amusing than the performance of that 
-other man, who, seventeeii years later, desiring to be sworn to an affidavit, the officer 
having administered the usual oath,— "You do solemnly swear that the statements 
set forth in the affidavit by you subscribed are true,'"— pulled oif his hat and assuming 
a gi-ave aspect answered, "Yes, by G— d, I do."' 

Among those who purchased land in town seven south, range one Avest, during the 
year 18a=5, were the following : Samuel Van Fleet, Joseph Webster, John L. Edmonds, 
George W. Merrick, George Williams. Henry Rose, Stephen Clapp, Peter W. Dean, 
-Joel Alexander, Bowen Whitney, William Edmonds, William Donaldson, Olive 
Howard, Asa Worden, Warren Day, Charles Howard, Lewis Nickerson, David 
Strunk, John Williams, Samuel Starkweather. Harvey "A. Anderson, Henry Linden- 
bower, John Osborn, Lewis Woodruff, James Grant, John Perrin, John Berger. 
Reuben Davis, Samuel Lawrence, Stephen B. Johnson, Elijah K. Blythe, Ira Rose, 
John B. Broklebank, Elijah B. Seeley, James B. Marry, Joseph Maxsou, Reuben 
Mallory, William II. Davis, Sidney S. Ford, Charles Boyle, Julia Seeley, Michael 
Stuck, Jr., Theron B. Seeley, Archibald Dunn, Stephen W. Perrin, Israel Smith, 
Theron Skeel, James Wheeler, Charles Helm, Nathan G.Elliott, Charles Converse, 
Henry W. SejTuour, Charles Spear, Henry Barton, Archibald Mercer. 



66 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



In the spring of 18:35 Theodore, son of Charles Ames, died, lie obtained access to. 
the medicine chest and drank from a vial of wintergreen oil. Rufus Estes was imme- 
diately dispatched to Adrian for a doctor, but before the doctor arrived he was dead^ 
having died within twenty-six hoius alter drinking the oil. 

On the fourth day of September, 1885, tlie wife of Henry Ames died at the house of 
Charles Ames. During her illness she had been removed for convenience of nursing 
from the house on the Clark Ames farm to the residence of Chai-les Ames. 

In the spring of 1835 Mr. Alpheus Pratt set out an orchard of thirty-two trees- These 
he piu:chased of Jesse Maxson, who had brought them from the State of New York,, 
and he carried all of them on his back at one tiiue from Jesse Maxson's farm to his 
own house, a distance of two and one-half miles. He paid eight dollars for the trees,, 
and he says it was all the money he could raise. 

In the fall of 1835 the citizens of town seven south, one west, met at the house of 
Alpheus Pratt to consider the propriety of asking the Legislature, at its next sessioa 
soon to be held, to organize the township. They determined that it would be proper 
to do so, and decided to call the township Dover. The petition was signed by 
Charles Ames, Jonathan French, John L. Taylor, William B. Ames, Ozen Keith, 
Daniel Loomis, Elijah B. Seeley, Jesse Kimball, James Sprague, Samuel Day, Robert 
Wordeu, Robinson H. Whitehorn, Lewis Gillett and Jesse Smith. 

In the fall of 1835 Isaac A. Colvin bought a stock of merchandise, a large part of. 
whidh was whisky and tobacco, and opened a store on the Charles Ames farm. He 
occupied a small building nearly opposite the large building used as a cheese 
factory by the late Charles Ames. In 1834 William Ames and Pennock engaged in 
the shoe business in Adrian, but now William, having closed his business there-,., 
was installed chief salesman in "Colvin's grocery." The grocery was the center of 
attraction of the settlement. The settlers were working very hard. felling timber. 
In all directions the sound of falling timber could be heard— in some directions almost 
continually ; and the grocery was the only place at which to procure the little deli- 
cacies of life, such as pipes and tobacco, and the more substantial comforts in the 
grocery line, and it became tlie center of traffic. Here the Indians brought their furs 
and game and exchanged for tobacco and the much used "'fire water." Their encamp- 
ment was at what was then known as the Squawfield, on the little St. Joseph, in the 
township of Pittsford. This St. Joseph river rises in Hillsdale county, tlows south- 
erly, and unites with the Maumee river, and is called on the maps the '"St. Joseph of 
the Maimiee," and must not be mistaken by the reader for that other St. Joseph which 
takes its rise in the \4cinity of the head waters of the first and flows westward into- 
Lake Michigan. 

Their chief, Meteau, his son John (Indian John the settlers called him) acting as ■ 
interpreter, was their principal trafficker. He carried the purse of the tribe. They 
woidd have nothing to do with paper currency— their medium of exchange was silver • 
o'-ily, which thsy called sliuniah. Having disposed of their articles they would pur- 
chase tlieir bags full of corn and turnips, and such other articles as they needed, not 
for once forgetting the indispensable whisky, and then return to camp. 

William kept a bottle standing on the shelf, from which he dealt out the whisky by 
the drink to those who only wanted that quantity at a time. One day Meteau came 
alone to make the purchases of the tribe, and having learned William's ways, walked 
up to where the bottle stood and waited for his drink. The bottle and tumbler were 
set down ; he turned out a tumbler full, paid his six cents, and drank his whisky- 
He sat down and smoked for a long time, and then walking up, repeated the operation, 
again taking a tumbler full, and retiring to enjoy his pipe. William was alone and 
li3 began to fear that the Indian meant mischief, for becoming intoxicated he might 
also become quarrelsome. In such an event the Indian would have much the advan- 
tage, for he was armed with two large knives and a large cavalry pistol. Meteau. 
came up for a third drink. William tried to make him imderstand that it would take 
liim down. The Indian, evidently understanding William's fears, ajid determined oxb. 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



getting his drink, said, "'Give wliislcy, luarche quick," thereby meaning if William 
■would give him another drink he would go away. William gave him the drink, bat 
the Indian did not seem disposed to go home. William stepped up to him and told 
him to go away home. Meteau, saying "I shoot you," drew his pistol and pointed it 
at William, who quickly sti-uck it with his hand, and throwing the muzzle upward 
the ball passed over liis head ; then fearing that he would draw his knife, Willianx 
closed in, and after a severe struggle succeeded in throwing him on the floor, 
where he held him until he became so drunk he could not help but lie still. William 
then disarmed him and drew him forth to rest upon the snow without. Henry Ames 
in the meantime coming in, as soon as Meteau could stand they filled his bag with 
com and turnips and started him home ; but he only went a little way, built a fire on 
Pennock's place, tlie Finney farm, and sat down in the snow all night. In the morn- 
ing he returned to the grocery and asked for his pistol. Ames told him he must 
"marche quick"— he tried to shoot William, and he could not have it In about a 
week he returned and laid upon the counter a nicely dressed twenty-fom- pomid wild 
turkey. William walked up and laid down a twenty-five cent piece and said, "Swap?" 
3Ieteau, smiling, said, "Very good." William sat the bottle down, they drank and 
smoked together, the feud w^as healed and they were friends ; and William was duly 
installed the Indian trader for Squawfield, which arrangement continued until the 
Indians were removed west. 

Soon after this settlement with Meteau, Bawbeese and some other Indians came to 
Colvin's gi-oceryfor more whisky. William told them if he sold tl»em wliisky and 
they did any damage he was liable to be fined twenty-five dollars. They plead so 
hard, and so faithfully promised to do no harm, William gave them some to drink. 
Then they wanted some to carry to a sick squaw. A half pint was given them foi' 
that purpose, but it has always been supposed that the squaw got well without it. 
The next morning a man came in and reported that the Indians, passing ilr. Barrett's 
house just as his supjier was ready, gathered round the table and ate every bit of it. 
and as they evidently had been drinking they were supposed to have obtained their 
liquor at Colvin's grocery. But William, with that innocence of expression and 
apparently honest appearance which have not yet forsaken him, professed entire 
ignorance of any such transaction, and the matter passed off without investigation. 

An Indian died near the present residence of Bishop Ames, and the Indians buried 
Iiim near by in a sitting posture. They prepared a grave of such a depth that in a 
sitting position his head would be one foot below the surface of the ground. After 
placing him in the grave they repaired to Colvin's gi-ocery to obtain a bottle of whisky 
for the dead Indian to carry with him to the hunting gi-ounds of the Great Spirit. 
William's theological training being at that day rather deficient, he told them the 
Indian did not need it; but they insisting, William filled a half pint bottle and re- 
paired with them to the grave. They placed the bottle in the dead Indian's hand and 
covered him to the chin with earth, and covered the gi-ave over with bark. They 
then conmienced a mournful howl, which continued for some time, and tlien saymg 
''HauJxbe,^'— gone to sleep, — they left him to pursue his journey alone. 

Whisky was sold for thirty-eight cents a gallon at the Colvin grocery, but if we 
may judge from the following story told of Father Alpheus Pratt, it contained quite 
as much spring water as corn juice. The story, for the truth of which we will not 
vouch, runs as follows : In mid-winter Alpheus Pratt and Samuel Day prepared to 
go to mill. Alpheus having some knowledge of the effect of frost upon human bodies, 
provided himself with a pint of Colvin's whisky, which he hid in one of his bags. 
When two-thirds, perhaps, of the journey had been accomplished and they had 
wearied themselves whipping arms and stamping feet, Pratt slapped Day upon the 
shoulder, saying, "Well, neighbor Day, let's take something to warm us up." "Have 
you anything?" asked Mr. Day. "Certainly," said Mr. Pratt ; "I have some of Colvin's- 
best whisky, and it will send the blood tingling through our benumbed limbs and 



58 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



give lis courage for the journey." While talking, he had undone the bag and pro- 
duced the bottle. His changed looks told the story— the whisky had frozen solid. 

A Dlitchnian named Johnson occupied the liouse on William Ames' farm. He had 
been having the ague so long he had been shaken nearly to death, without being able 
to seriously disturb it by all the means known to the early settlers. One night a bear 
that woul?l weigh between two and three hundred pounds thrust his paw through the 
glass of the window, with a savage growl that scared tlio Dutchman gray and eifectu- 
ally cured him of the ague. To use his expression, "scared it out of him.'' 

A laughable, yet serious, incident occurred among a party of hunters during the fall 
or early part of the winter. Jesse Smith and his son William Smith were hunting in 
company, and Thomas Lewin was out by himself. While Jesse was sitting beside a 
log he was espied by Thomas, peering through the brush, and mistaken for a turkey. 
Thomas blazed away, putting a bullet through Mr. Smith's arm just below the shoulder. 
The old man's cries discovered to Thomas his mistake ; he assisted him home and 
then went for Dr. Hall, who lived near Devil's Lake, to dress the wound. When 
everything had been done to make the patient comfortable, Thomas returned home. 
His father had heard of the adventure, told Thomas he should hunt no more, and 
demanded a surrender of the gun. Thomas did not surrender unconditionally. A 
sti-uggle for the possession of the rifle ensued, diu-ing which it was discharged, tlie 
ball inflicting a flesh wound in the old man's arm, passed through the chamber floor. 
Thomas succeeded in keeping possession of the gun and made good his escape to the 
woods. , , 

On the second day of January, 1836, Mr. John Griswold and family, then late of 
Ontario county, New York, arrived at the house of William Frazee, on the southwest 
corner of section nineteen, Hudson, where Williani Ocobock now lives. They had 
made the journey by team and wagon, at first coming to Adrian, thence to Canan- 
daigua, west on the town line (as near as roads then ran on lines) to the county line, 
and thence northerly to :Mr. Frazee's residence. Mr. Griswold found only the follow- 
ing houses on his route from Canandaigua, viz: That of Mr. J. R. Foster, near the 
present Tiffin mills. Elder Warner, near the northwest corner of section four, Medina, 
and Whitbeck, on town line, half mile east of the west line of the towns. The family 
stayed with Mr. Frazee until Monday morning,— the day of their arrival Ixr-ing Satur- 
day, — when they removed to the house of Ira Rose, where they remained until a log 
house could be built. Before coming, Mr. Griswold had purchased the northeast 
quarter of the southeast (piarter of section twenty-four, town seven south, one west, 
of John B. Brocklebank, who had entered it the year previous. Here, now, Mr. 
Griswold built a log house, into which he moved his family a few weeks later. On 
this place, just beyond the southwest corner of the village of Hudson, he lived more 
than thirty-five years. He died April 17th, 18T4, aged eighty-seven years. Mrs. 
■Griswold preceded him about two years, having died April 8th, 1872. 

January eighth the village of Keene was platted by Charles Ames. The village was 
all on the farm lately owned by him in the townshii* of Pittsford. 

As has before been remarked in these pages, persons desiring to find homes, and 
land speculators as well, were very active during the year 1835. In this one year 
nearly all the land in the present townships of Seneca, Medina and Wright was pur- 
chased of the (lovornment. Among the persons who purchased land in town eight 
soutli, niic west, Well' tlicse, viz : On section 4 — Gates, Lothrop & Olney, Lewis M. 
Gates and Cluulcs Converse, Feb. 1.5th; N. Bryant, Nov. 4th; David Short, Nov. 16th. 
Section .5— Lewis Gates, July 1.5th ; Mary Marshal and Royal Raymond, Nov. 3d ; John 
M. Lickley, Nov. 7th ; David Short, Nov. 16th. Section 6— Christopher Clement, Oct. 
17th ; Royal Raymond, Nov. 3d ; Wilber Ames, Nov. 7th. Section 7— Jonathan How- 
land, Oct. 24th; Samuel Miller, Nov. 2d; Stephen Thorn and S. D. Daken, Nov. 9th. 
•Section 8— Michael Lickley, Nov. 7th ; Moses Moore, Nov. 9th ; Stephen Thorn, James 
Sager and James Thorn, Nov. 10th. Section 9— Lewis M. Gates, Jidy 1.5th; John B. 
Skinner, July 31st; David Short. Nov. 16th. Section 10— Lewis M. Gates, July 15th; 



THE BEAX CREEK VALLEY. 50 



. John B. Skinner, July 33d ; A. S. Berry, Nov. 12tli. Section 11— Alexander Dvmcan. 
July 6tli. Section 13— Job S. Littlefield, June. 26tli ; Alexander Duncan, July 6tli ; 
Asa D. Reed, July 18th; Thomas C. Sawyer, Sept. 30th; William Cavender and 
Arthur Lucas, Oct. 7th. Section 13— Alexander Duncan, July 6th ; Thomas C. Saw- 
yer, Sept. 29th. Section I't— Alexander Duncan, July 4th ; Hiram Lucas, Oct. 7th ; 
A. J. Comstock, Dec. mth. Section 1.5— Nathaniel Silsbee, July 30th ; Samuel Coman, 
Oct. 7th. Section 17— Isaac M. Sturgis, Nov. 9th ; Stephen Thorn, J. Sawyer, Nov. 
10th ; Nathan Birdsall, Dec. 13th. Section 18— David Short, Nov. 16th. Section 30— 
Joseph R. Williams, Nov. 10th; Jane Shute, Nov. 36th. Section 31— Joseph R. 
Williams. Section 33— Alexander Duncan, July 6th ; Joshua Tompkins, July 18th ; 
Samuel Coman, Oct. 7th. Section 33— Alexander Duncan, July 6th ; William Tappen- 
den, July 9th; William Raleigh, Oct. 37th. Section 3i— W^illiam Tappenden, July 
7th ; Alexander Duncan, July 31st. Section 3.5— Thomas Smith, July 9th ; Benjamin 
F. Bown, Dec. 10th. Section 36— Thomas Smith, July 9th ; Henry P. Gardener, Oct. 
27th. Section 37— Langford G. Berry, Nov. 13th. Section 39— Charles IL Conall. 
Oct. 30th; Jane Shute, Nov. 36th. Section 31— Charles II. Conall entered entire sec- 
tion Oct. 30th. 

In the spring and summer of 1835 Mrs. Hiram Lucas, then a resident of the villag<' 
of Adrian, wTOte her father, Samuel Coman, then residing at or near Rome, in tlie 
State of New York, such glowing descriptions of the emigrants' Eldorado— the Bean 
Creek Country— that he resolved to move Westward. He wrote his son Russell, then 
residing in Dearl>orn county, Indiana, to meet him at Adrian on such a day in the 
month of September, U>r tlie purpose of assisting in the hieation of homes for his large 
family of boys. Tliey met in Adrian acedidinii t<j appointment, and accompanied by 
Hiram Lucas, they proceeded to Canandaigua. There they obtained the services of 
Arthur Lucas and Calvin Pixley as guides through the wilderness. They at once 
proceeded to town eight south, one west, and selected lands on sections fifteen and 
twenty-two ; and on his way home Samuel Coman stopped at Monroe and entered the 
land on the 7th day of October, 1835. The entire party, guides and all, must have been 
captivated by the beauty of the country, for on the same day Iliiam Lucas, Calvin 
Pixley and Artlmr Lucas all entered land in the township. Indeed, it was just the 
time of year when men would be captivated by a primeval American forest. The 
gigantic ti'ees newly dressed in their autumn costumes of red, yellow, and purple 
leaves ; large bunches of fox grapes pendant from clinging vine, the-continual falling 
•of mast loosened by the early frosts; the woods filled with the more valuable species 
•of game, bounding, running, or flying away at the ap])roach of the strange visitor, 
man, formed a scene likely to enamor more obdurate hearts. 

The two Comans, father and son, returned to their respective lioines to prepare for 

• emigration. Russell, immediately on reaching home, packed liis goods, which he loaded 
in a Hoosier wagon with his wife and three children, the wagon drawm by two yoke 

• of oxen, and started for Michigan. Mr. Russell Coman had left the parental home, in 
-the State of New York, in the year 1835. He purchased a small boat, which he loaded 

onto a wagon, the boat serving as a box, and, accompanied by a young man, he con- 
veyed to, and launched it upon, the head waters of the Ohio river. In this boat they 
dropped down the Ohio to the mouth of the Miami river. There he disend)arked 
and found a home in Dearborn coimty, Indiana, where he lived until 1835. March 
13th, 1S39, he inter-married with Miss Ann Mc^Math, and their union was blessed with 
three Indiana-born children, one of which was an infant at the breast when the jour- 
ney to Michigan began. After their arrival at Adrian the youngest child died. Mr. 
'• Coman employed Hiram and Arthur Lucas to help him build a house, and meanwhile 
the family was left at Hiram's house, in Adrian. The house was so far completed 
that the family moved into it sometime between Christmas, 1835, and New Year's 
day, 18.36. Russell Coman's family was the first, and until February the only family 
In town eight south, one west. The house thus built and occupied was built on sec- 



60 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

tion fifteen, where Samuel Coman, the (!kler, afterwards resided for many years, oni 
the farm now owned by Jacob Shanour. 

THE TOLEDO WAR. 

The story of tlie settlement of the Valley of the Bean would be incomplete 
without some mention of an event which divided it between two States and robbed, 
our Valley of the townships of Gorham and Cliesterfield, and Lenawee of those, and 
also the townships of Royalton. Amboy and Richfield. On the sixth day of July, 
18.34, Governor Porter, who had succeeded ifr. Cass as Governor of the Territory, 
died, by which event Stevens T. Mason, of Virginia, Secretary of tlie Territory, be- 
came the acting Governor. January 2C>th, 18:3.5, the Legislative Council passed an act 
for the election of delegates to a constitutional convention, and the convention con- 
vened on the 11th day of May following. This movement toward the organization of 
a State government for Michigan invested the territorial dispute with new interest. 
The territory in dispute was a strip along the line between the States, from the Indi- 
ana line to Lake Erie, five miles wide at the west end and eight miles wide at the east 
end. The southern line, claimed by Michigan to be the boundary, was known as the 
"Fulton line,'' and the northern line, claimed by Ohio to be the boundary, was called 
the "Harris line." This belt of territory contained some very valuable farming land,, 
but its chief ^•a!ue in the eyes of the contestants was the port at the mouth of the 
ZSIaumee river, known successively as Swan Creek, Port Lawrence, Vistula, and 
Toledo. Outside of Toledo tlie disputed country was a wilderness. The early set- 
tlers of the terrildi-y ackiKiwled-'ed their allegii'.nee to the government of Michigan, 
asked for and received appropiiatidns for the Ijuildingof roads leading to their village, 
and some of them became corporators of the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad, under a 
charter fi-oni the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan. But when the 
Wabash and Erie canal became a possibility, and its eastern terminus at Toledo 
probable, if that place should be found to be witliin tlie limits of Ohio, many of her 
citizens at oiiee discovered that they were citizens of Oliio, whereas they had hereto- 
fore acted as citi/.ons of ^ilicliigan. Some, however, still acknowledged the sovereignty 
of Mieliiuan. (IdveiiKir :Mas(in. liavlng been apprised of the proposed action of the 
authorities of Ohio, sent a s])ecial message to the Legislative Council, recommending 
immediate action to forestall that of the Oliio Legislature. 

On the 12th day of February the Legislative Council enacted ''Tliat if any person 
residing within the limits of this territory shall aece])t of any otlice (»f trust from any 
State or authority other than the Government of the United States or Territory of ' 
Michigan, every person so offending shall be fined not exceeding one thousand dollars, 
or be imprisoned five years, at the discretion of the court before which any conviction-, 
may be had." 

In the same month the Legislature of Ohio passed an act extending the jurisdiction 
of that State over the disputed territory, established townships and directed that 
township elections should be held in the April following, and also directed the re- 
marking of the Harris line. 

March ninth, Gov. Mason wrote Gen. Brown, then in connnand of the Michigan 
militia, to hold himself in readiness to repel by force any attempt to carry out the 
provisions of the Ohio law ; and later in the month Gov. Mason, and Gen. Brown and 
staff, with from eight hundred to twelve hundred men, encamped in and around 
Toledo. 

On the thirty-first day of March, Gov. Lucas and his commissioners arrived at 
Perrysburgh to find the enemy in possession of the bone of contention. Under his 
direction Gen. Bell, of the Ohio militia, mustered a force of about six hundred men 
and went in camp at Fort Miami. The delay was for the purpose of allowing the 
partisans of Ohio to hold their township elections. 

While the two armies were watching each other's movements, two conmussioners > 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 61 

appointed by the President arrived from Washington. President .Jackson liad taken 
the opinion of his Attornej^ General, who had advised him that the act of tlie Legis- 
lature of Ohio extending jurisdiction over a part of the territory of Michigan was 
"repugnant to the act of Congress of the 11th of January, 1805," and that the act of 
the Michigan Legislative Council was a valid law and could properly he enforced. 
The commissioners proposed : 

First— That the Harris line should be re-marked without hindrance. 

Second— As elections had then been held under the laws of Ohio, the people should 
be left to obey the laws of the one jurisdiction or the other without molestation until 
the close of the next session of Congress. 

Gov. Lucas affected to consider Gov. Mason as a minion of the President, and that the 
arrangement was to be made between himself and the President, and would be com- 
plete as soon as his acceptance should be signified ; he therefore at once accepted the 
propositions and commenced disbanding his forces. On the other hand, Gov. Mason, 
considering himself at the head of a restricted sovereignty, refused to compromise the 
rights of his people by a surrender .of possession and jurisdiction, and, therefore, 
while he allowed his forces to return home, held himself in readiness to repel by force 
any invasion of the territorial rights of Michigan. 

Notwithstanding the determined attitude of Gov. Mason, Gov. Lucas directed the 
■commissioners to proceed to run the Harris line, commencing at the western end. 
•<}en. Brown kept a line of scouts in the woods along the line to report the progress of 
the surveying party. As soon as the party came within the limits of Lenawee county 
the under-sheriff, armed with a warrant from a justice of the peace, and accompanied 
by a jyosse comitatus, went to arrest them. The force started on Sunday morning. 
The infantry, about one-half the force, were carried in wagons about ten miles out ; 
from that point they had to march, about ten miles. They arrived a little after noon, 
the mounted men considerably in advance. The surveying party were occupying 
two cabins. As soon as the mounted men arrived. Gen. Brown, who accompanied 
the expedition, assinned command and ordered the surveyors to surrender, which 
they promptly refused to do. But when the infantry arrived, the occupants of one of 
the cabins, including the commissioners, became alarmed and broke for the woods, 
hastened by a volley of nuisketry. They dashed into Maumee nearly disrobed by the 
briars and thorns that beset their path through the wilderness. The occupants of 
the other cabin, including the engineer corps, were arrested by the officer and taken 
in triumph to the Lenawee county jail at Tecumseh. The civil autiiorities concluded 
to hold Col. Fletcher, the chief of the engineer corps, in nominal im])risonment to test 
by law the validity of the arrest. The others were i)ermitted to return to their homes 
in Ohio. Col. Fletcher was allowed to be his own jailor. When he desired exercise 
he would cai'efully lock the door, and putting the key in his pocket, stroll through 
the village or drive out with the village belles. This first clash of arms in this singu- 
lar affair occurred within the Valley of the Bean. 

The Ohio commissioners reported to Gov. Lucas that they had been attacked by 
an overwhelming force under command of Gen. Brown, and forced to retreat. The 
President, to whom the matter was referred, asked Gov. Mason for a statement of 
facts "by the officers engaged in the transactions complained of." The under sheriff 
reported that a civil force made the arrest of nine persons ui)on a warrant issued by 
a justice of the peace, and that there was no blood shed. Gov. Lucas immediately 
convened the Legislature in extra session. It met on the 8th day of June, and at 
once proceeded to enact a law "to prevent the forcible abduction of citizens of Ohio." 
Another act was passed to create the county of Lucas, making Toledo the county seat. 
A session of court was directed to be held on Monday, the seventh day of September, 
then next ensuing, at any convenient house in Toledo. Still another act was passed 
appropriating 55600,000 to carry these laws into effect over the disputed territory. 

The authorities of Michigan were not idle. Prosecutions for holding office under 
iie laws of Ohio were pressed with the greatest vigor. The people of Monroe county 



62 TUE BEAl^ CREEK VALLEY. 

were kept busy assisting the sheriff in executing processes of tlie Monroe county 
courts in tlie disputed territory. Every inliabitant of the district was a spy for one 
or the other of the contestants, as inclination dictated, and was busily employed in 
reporting the movements of Monroe county or Wood county officials, as the case 
might be. The Ohio parties, when arrested, were incarcerated in the Monroe county 
jail. Major Stickney was arrested after a violent resistance by himself and family, 
lie refused to mount a horse. He was put on by force, but would not sit there. For a 
long distance two men, one each side, held him on. At last, wearied by his resist- 
ance, they tied his feet under the horse, in which way they at last reached Monroe. 

Gov. Lucas sent commissioners to Washington to confer Avith the President. After ■ 
a lengthy corresyiondence between these commissioners and the Secretary of State, 
the President consented to cause an earnest recommendation to be made to Gov. 
Mason that no obstruction be made to the re-marking of the "Harris" line; that all 
prosecutions luider the territorial act of February, 18.3,5, be discontinued, and no fur- 
ther prosecutions be commenced until the next session of Congress. This 
" recommendation" was conveyed to Gov. Mason on the third day of July, but it had 
no effect on his action. Prosecutions went on as before. On the 15th of that month 
an attempt was made to arrest Two Stickney, a son of Major Stickney. In the scufBe 
the officer was stabbed with a knife ; Stickney escaped and fled to Ohio. The wound 
was slight, although the bldod flowed freely. Two was indicted by the gi-and jury of 
Monroe county, and a requisitii >n nuule on Gov. Lucas for liis surrender. The Governor 
refused to surrender the fugitive, and a report of the affair was sent to the President, 
with a sworn statement that ( !ov. Lucas was protecting him. This aroused the Pres- 
ident to action ; he at once removed Gov. Mason, and appointed Charles Shaler, of 
Pennsylvania, his successor. He also advised Gov. Lucas to refrain from any act of 
jiu-isdictionover the disputed territory pending the action of Congress. Mr. Shaler 
never entered upon the duties of the office, and soon after, John S. Horner, of Vir- 
ginia, was appointed Secretary and acting Governor ; but he did not enter upon the 
duties of his office until the twenty-first day of September. In the meanwhile ^SEason 
continued acting Governor. 

Gov. Lucas now felt sure that Old Hickory was aroused, and that he would 
tolerate no more show of force on his part; but he also felt it necessary to perform 
some act of jiuisdiction, so itwould not besaid he had backed down. The Legisla- 
tin-e had ordered a session of court to be held on the seventh day of September, in the 
village of Toledo. Gov. Mason was aware of the fact, and was on hand with .Gen. 
Brown and the militia to prevent the consummation of the order. To actually hold 
this court in defiance of Gov. Mason and his military force, and also in defiance of 
the President's recommendation, looked to Gov. Lucas like a grand achievement; 
one that would burnish his tarnished honor, and maintain the dignity of the guberna- 
torial office of the gi-eat State of Ohio. He, through his Adjutant General, ordered 
out a regiment of troops to escort the judges to Toledo, and protect them in the per- 
formance of their duty. They were to march from 3Iamnee on the morning of the 
seventh, but the evening previous a report was circulated that Gen. Brown was in To- 
ledo with twelve hundred men, ready for any emergency. The report was untrue, 
but it served to test the valor of the judges; they hesitated and trembled at the pros- 
pect. The Colonel in command provided a forlorn liope, and taking the judges in 
charge, marched them into Toledo at three o'clock ]Monday morning, September 7tli. 
183.5, proceeded to a school house, held court less than five minutes, and then hastily 
returned to ]Mauinee. How easily was Ohio honor vindicated. Not a soul over whom 
they came to assert jurisdiction knew of their coming, doings, or retreat. 

September 21st, acting Governor Horner assumed the duties of that office, and Gov. 
Mason retired to private life. 

While these events were transpiring the convention had been elected, met, formed 
a constitution, and adjourned. Tlie constitution was submitted to the people on the 
fifth and sixth days of October, and was duly ratifii^d. At the same election a full set 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 03 



of State offictiis; were elected, Stevens T. Mason being elected Governor, (iov. Mason 
was at once inaugurated, the Legislature met on the ninth day of November, and the 
machinery of a State government set in motion. Michigan was not yet admitted as a 
State ; the machinery of a Territorial government remained, which was recognized by 
the general government and the several State governments as the lawfid government 
of Michigan ; but it was totally ignored by the people, who yielded obedience to the 
new State government. This state of things made it very unpleasant for Mr. Horner,, 
and in ]\Iay, 1836, he left the Territory to assume tlie duties of Secretary of the Terri- 
tory of Wisconsin, created at that session of Congi-ess. 

On the fifteenth day of June, 1836, Congi-ess passed an act accepting the constitution 
and State government of Michigan, and admitting her into the Union, provided she 
should, by a convention of delegates chosen for that purpose, consent to tlie boundary 
line claimed by Ohio, and take in lieu thereof the territory now known as the Upper 
Peninsula. Gov. Mason called a special session of the Legislature, to meet on the 
eleventh day of July, 1836. On the twentieth day of that month, an act was passed 
])roviding for the election of delegates and the assembling of the convention on tlie 
•20th day of September, at Ann Arbor. 

The convention met, and after a four days session, rejected the proposition of 
Congress relating to the boundary. The people were unanimous in reference to the 
merits of the conti-oversy, but a large party thought deferred admission would work 
greater injm-y than loss of territory. They were therefore dissatisfied with the rejec- 
tion of the proposition, and they determined that another convention should be called 
without waiting for the assembling of the Legislatm-e. Two large meetings of the 
dissatisfied citizens were held, one in Detroit, the other in Ann Arbor. These assem- 
Itlies united in a request to the Governor to call a convention by proclamation. The 
(xovernor approved of a second convention, but as it was wholly unauthorized by law, 
he declined to issue the proclanuxtion. On the fourteenth day of November, a circu- 
lar was issued by the leaders of the assenting party, which reconnnended tlie qualified 
voters in the several townships to meet on the fifth and sixth days of December and 
elect delegates to attend a State convention to be held at Ann Arbor on the fourteenth 
day of that month. It further recommended that the number of delegates be twice the- 
number elected to the popular branch of the Legislature, and that the election should be 
Iield at the proper places for holding elections, and shoidd be conducted by the same 
officers and according to the forms of law governing other elections. The opposition 
to the second convention refrained from voting, deeming the whole proceeding void. 
As but one party voted, all the delegates were in favor of accepting the proposition of 
Congress. Therefore, on the fifteenth day of the month— the second day of its ses- 
sion — the convention unanimously resolved to accept the condition imposed by Con- 
gress, protesting, however, against the constitutional right of Congress to require 
this preliminary assent as a condition of admission into the Union. The action of 
this convention was submitted to Congress. A lengthy and spirited debate ensued,, 
but on the 2()tli day of January, 1837, Congress passed an act which, reciting by way 
of preamble that the jieojile of Michigan had consented to the proposed boundaries, 
admitted the State into the Union of American States. 

Since the ninth day of November, 1S:>5, the people of Michigan had lived under a 
dual government. For all internal purposes tlie State government was supreme,.. 
liut for the purpose of coniinunion with the General and State go\ernments, they liad 
the machinery of a Territorial government. 

ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS. 

The State Legislature, by an act approved March 33d, 18:36, organized several town- 
ships in the Bean Creek Valley. Town five south, one east, was named Woodstock, 
and the first township meeting was ordered to be held at the house of Jesse Osborn. 
The reader will notii'c tliat the spelling of tlie siuname here differs from its spelling. 



64 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



in the first sections of tiiis book, which is explained by the statement that when the 
family first came to Michigan they spelled their name Osburn, but in after years they 
changed it to Osboru. 

Town seven south, one east, was napied Hudson, the first township meeting to be 
held at the dwelling house of Beriah II. Lane. 

Towns eight and nine and fractional ten south, ranges one and t^^■o east, were or- 
ganized into a township, the first township meeting to be held at the house of Jacol> 
Baker, in town eight south, two east, and was named Seneca. Seneca then included 
the present townships of Medina and Seneca in Michigan, and Gorham and Chester- 
field in Ohio. 

The township of Wheatland was divided. Towns seven, eight and nine, and frac- 
tional ten south were organized into a townsliip named Pittsford, and the first town- 
ship meeting was directed to be held at tlie dwelling house of Alpheus Pratt. The 
people had petitioned to have it called Dover, but the committee on townships having 
already named town seven south two east, Dover, they named this Pittsford upon 
the suggestion of a man who had known :Mr. Pratt in Pittsford, Monroe couty, N. Y. 
The township as then organized comprised the present townships of Pittsford and 
Wright in Michigan, and Mill Creek in Ohio. 

Towns five and six south, one east, retained the name of Wheatland. 

Towns six, seven, eight, nine and fractional ten south, two west, were organized 
into a township named Adams, and the first township meeting was directed to be held 
at the southeast corner of section sixteen in said town six south. The township of 
Adams then included the present townships of Adams. Jefferson and Ransom, the 
east half of AmbDy in Michigan, and ISIadison. in Ohio. 



HUDSON. 65 



4 HUDSON. 



On the fornrth day of April. 183(), the first township meetiiif; of the township of 
Sludson was held at the house of 'Beriah II. Lane. Oflicers were elected as follows : 
;SimeonyanAkin, supervisor; George Saulsbury, township clerk; Beriah II. Lane 
4ind Henry Ames, justices of the peace; Thomas Kealey, John Davenport and John 
•Col well, commissioners of highways ; John Carleton, assessor ; and Noah Cressey, 
.treasurer. It was voted to raise fifty dollars for contingent expenses. 

On the 28th day of April, Beriah H. Lane, esq., was called upon to perform a part 
<of the duties of his office. Word Avas brought to the newly elected justice that Dexter 
.Smith and Mrs. Elvira Stearns desired to unite their destinies; therefore, following 
ail Indian trail, he wended his way to tlie farm of Smith, near where the village of 
TJffln now is, and performed the marriage ceremony. 

In May a postoffice was established and named Lanesville. Mr. Lane was post- 
master. Ills commission bore date 3Iay 19th, and was signed by Amos Kendall, post- 
master general. 

In June the Rev. David Pratt came, and for two years was pastor of the Presbyter- 
aan church. He bought the piece of land known as Pratt's block, and built a house, 
where his widow, the sole survivor of that family, still resides. 

During the summer, II. P. Oakley came and bought out George Salisbury's grocery 
:and notion trade, and David Stuck connnenced blacksmithing. In the fall Harvey 
Cobb came and occupied the house prepared for him by Alexander Findley. Augus- 
tus Fi)niey came some time during the season, but did not purchase projierty until 
the next year. 

Miss Adelia Champlin taught the Lanesville school in the summer of 1836. A log 
rschool house Avas built during the autunni. It stood on a piece of gi'ound a little way 
south of the highway, on the section line, near the brew of a hill. Its position is now 
jnarked by the low, long building on east side of Church street, owned by J. K. Boies 
<t Co., it being the second south of their store building. There then were no other 
buildings south of Main street between Church and Market streets. The long, low 
building spoken of, or rather the west end of it, was the school house of 1841, of 
which much has been said. It was formerly adorned with a cupola or steeple, and 
?yas used for the double purpose of a school house and churcli. 

In the fall of 1836, the Messrs. VanAkin harvested about one hundred and fifty 
5>ushels of wheat. It grew on the square of ground bounded west by High sti-eet, 
2iorth by Main street, east by Wood street, and south by the hill on which Dr. J. C. 
Dickinson, Mr. Webster and Thomas Bate live. It was nice wheat land, except the 
lots afterwards owned by Dr. R. A. Beach, which were mostly frog pond. 

It was in this summer that several men associated themselves together in what was 
flailed the Great Bend Company. The project was to create a vast water power by 
<ligging a race across the neck of the bend. Immediately after crossing the section 
line, between sections nineteen and thirty, the creek bends to the westward, crosses 
dnto Hillsdale county about forty rods south of the north line of section thirty, bends 
again to the eastward on section twenty-five in Pittsford, leaves that township at the 
<:orner of section thirty-six, crosses the east line of section thirty-one, Hudson, about 
forty rods north of its south line; turning northward, it crosses the north line of 
.■station thirty-two, not more than forty rods east of the northwest corner of that sec- 
Don; it then runs northeasterly across the southeast corner of section twentj'-nine, 
and soirtheasterly across the southwest corner of section twenty-eight, and thence in 
siearly a direct southeasterly course to the village of Medina. By constructing a race 
from the point near where the creek crosses the south line of section nineteen, to the 



66 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

point on the east line of section twenty-nine, where the creelt takes its southeasterly ■ 
course, a distance of less than two miles, a large fall would be obtained; sufficient, in- 
deed, to propel all the machinery it were possible to build on the route. In order tf> 
accomplish the project, it was necessary to procure the right to turn the water of the 
Bean from its natural channel, and the right to do so must be purchased, the company 
buying water rights where they could, and where they could not buying the land right 
out. The first purchases made in the furtherance of the project were made by Isaacr 
French on the 18th day of July, 18100. On that day he bought the Samuel Davi-s farm,, 
and about the same time purchased the farm of Horace Hitchcock. The two farms 
here spoken of are now owned, the first by Joseph Fletcher, and the second by Ilenvy 
Carmichael. 

In September following, David Tucker came on, as the purchasing agent of the com- 
pany. The first purchase he made was the undivided one-half of the Lanesville mill 
and mill property. It was deeded to him September second by Beriah H. Lane_ 
There must have been some private arrangement between Simeon and William H.II. 
VanAkin and Mr. Lane, for at that time Mr. Lane had no title to the property, as- 
shown by the record. In July of 18.35 he had deeded a one-fourth interest to William 
II. II. VanAkin, and in December of the same year had sold the remainder of his- 
interest— one-fom-th part— to Simeon VanAkin. The other one-half interest was 
owned by Erastus Lane until February l(5th, 1837, when he deeded it to Augustus 
Finney. On the 20th day of July, 18.37, William H. 11. VanAkin re-tk^eded a one-half 
interest in the mill to Beriah II. Lane, but he does not appear to have taken any pos- 
sessory right, as that lialf of the property continued to be owned by various members- 
of the Great Bend Company until it was abandoned in 1842. 

Tucker bought the following lands : Of John Davenport, the south half of the- 
middle subdivision of the southwest fractional quarter of section nineteen ; of Joseph 
Eeynolds, the west half of the southwest quarter of section twenty; of Williani: 
Woods, the south half of the northeast quarter of section twenty-nine; of Elishf* 
Brown, the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter and the northeast quarter of" 
the southwest quarter of section twenty-nine; of Harmon Whitbeck, jr., the eas*.. 
half of the southwest fractional quarter of section thirty ; of William Chapman, tbfr 
northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section thirty-four; of Frederick 
Corey, the east half of the southwest quarter and the southwest (piarter of the south- - 
west quarter of section thirty-four: of Nicholas Fratts, the east half of the southeast 
quarter of section eighteen ; and of Harvey Cobb, the southwest (piarter of the south- 
east quarter of section eighteen. 

He also bargained for the land of Simeon A^anAkin. tor wliich he was to pay 34,7.50„ 
He paid $l,.50O down, and took a conti-act for a deed on the payment of the remainder 
of the purchase money, which was to be paid within ninety days from the date of the- 
contract. The remainder never was paid, but Tucker assigned his interest in the 
contract to Joel McCoUum, of Rochester, N. Y., and subsequent to the expiration of 
the contract McCollum came to Lanesville and offered to jiay §400 on the conti-act . 
McCollum says VanAkin accepted it, and it was indorsed on tlie contract, and that^., 
McCollum says, renewed it for all time. Such was the loiiiidation of the McColhna 
claim, which oiu" older readers will remember to have heard so much about. 

Tucker also purchased of Sylvester Kenyon and William Frazee the right to divert 
the water from its channel. The description in Kenyon's deed reads as follows: 
" The full and free privilege, riglitand authority to alter or change the course of the- 
Avaters of Bean creek, so as entirely forever to direct and control its waters, or anjr 
part or portion thereof, from its present channel or bed, where it now runs (except 
so much as is necessary for farming purposes)." The description in Frazee's deed i?- 
the same, except that the exception in regard to water for farm purposes is omitted^ 
Tucker bought other lands in this township, and also some in the township oi' 
Pittsford. These lands, rights and privileges Tucker deeded over to the members of 
the Great Bend Company, the larger part of them to Benjamin F. Southworth, i>n 



HUDSON. 67 



Monroe county. Thus the lands purchased during the months of September and Oc- 
tober lie deeded to Benjamin F. South wijrth on the 29th day of October, except tlie 
land purchased of Elisha Brown. This land he deeded, part to Elisha Brown, and 
the remainder to Lorenzo L. Brown. 

This Great Bend project was much talked of during this and the following year, but 
the financial panic of 1837 bankrupted its projectors, and put an end to the venture.. 
Before this, however, Tucker had to leave the country. lie had left a wife and family 
at the east when he came to Michigan, but at Adrian, which was his headquarters, -he- 
passed as an unmarried man. At length, however, yielding to the fascinations o^ an- 
Adrian lady, he put his head into the mati'imonial noose. Mrs. Tucker Xo. 1, having, 
been api)rised of his doings, threatened to make it warm for him, and he left the- 
country. A son of the first Mrs. Tucker has twice visited the covuitry and threatened 
to press his mother's claim for dower, but beyond scaring a few men into settlement, 
he has done nothing. 

As a great deal has been said about the ancient saw mill of Lanesviile, it may be 
well to stop here and give the history of that pioneer institution. The land— the 
middle si bli vision of the southwest fractional quarter of section eighteen— was pur- 
chased of the government l)y Reuben Davis in March, 18:34. On the twenty-third day 
of July, 18;S4, Reuben Davis deeded the land to Erastus and Beriah H. Lane, except 
one-half acre on the brow of the hill east of the creek. Davis afterwards sold this- 
half acre to John Davenport, but it was, later still, absorbed by the railroad. Erastu.s- 
and Beriah II. Lane built the mill in the summer and fall of 18;34. On the eighth day 
of July, 18:j5, Beriah II. Lane deeded an undivided one-fourth interest to William H. 
H. VanAkin, and on the first day of December he sold an undivided one-fourth inter- 
est to Simeon VanAkin. September 2d, 1836, Beriah 11. Lane deeded a one-half 
interest in the mill land and fixtures to David Tucker, and October 29th Tuckei^ 
deeded the same interest to Benj. F. South worth. February Kith Erastus Lane 
deeded the other undivided one-half interest in the mill, land and flowage tO' 
Augustus Finney. On the 2nth day of July William 11. II. VanAkin deeded an 
undivided one-half of the mill property to Beriah H. Lane. This transfer perfected 
the title of Tucker and his assigns in a one-half interest in the mill property. 
February 28th, 1838, Benjamin F. Southworth conveyed an undivided one-half of 
the mill pro]>erty to William L. Riggs. April ISth William L. Riggs convej-ed it tO' 
Philo C. Fuller, and by another deed, made the same day, deeded it to Isaac French- 
January 2rth, 1840, Isaac French deeded it to William V. Studdeford, and July 11th 
William V. Studdeford deeded it to Augustus Finney, who then became the owner ot 
the entire mill property. On the 12th day of September, 1842, Augustus Finney 
deeded the mill property to Ed II. Winans. Soon afterward Winans deeded the land 
to Isaac French, but in that deed no mention was made of the mill or race. The old 
mill race took the water from the creek a little way above the railway embankment, 
west side, and discharged it between the railroad and Main street bridges. The de- 
pression in which Bean's pump factory, Benjamin Wright's, Nathaniel Lane's and' 
George W. Carter's shops are built; is the old tail race. The mill was situated on the- 
hill beside the race, a little south of the railroad ground, perhaps just in rear of the 
house occupied by Mr. Homer Rawson. 

But to return to the incidents of 1836. On the S4th day of December Harvey An- 
derson purchased a half interest in the Kidder mill. 

In January, 1837, the Legislature of the State passed the Internal Improvement Act,, 
providing for three lines of railroad across the State, the southern U) span the State frouv 
Monroe to New Buffalo ; and in pursuance of that act connnissioners were appointed 
to locate the routes. Of com-se the people of this part of the Valley were excited- 
Upon the location of the Southern road depended, in a great measure, their futiu-e- 
Avelfare. The commissioners at once determined the principal points on the route,, 
viz : Adrian, Hillsdale Center, as it was then called, Coldwater, Constantine, etc. 
As we shall not have occasion to refer to this matter again, it may as well be remarked 



m THE BEAN CREEK YALLEY. 

In passing that Constantine was not finally made a point on the road, in consequence 
of the road being turned into Nortliern Indiana. The causes of its deflection do not 
come within the purview of this work. The direct route between Adrian and Hills- 
dale Center lay through or near the village of Rollin. The inhabitants of the twin 
villages, Lenawee and Keene, desired' to deflect the road two miles from a straight 
line to accommodate them, and the Lanesvillans desired to deflect it three miles to 
acconmiodate them. Of the three projiosed routes tlic Lancsville route was the most 
unlikely to be adopted. The Lenawee and Keene folks had a better route to ofter in 
place of the shorter Kollin route, but the Lanesville route was the longest and most 
difficult of the three, and if a company had been locating the road it would have 
taken a mint of eagles to buy it from its proper course. The result proved the cor- 
rectness of the old saw, " Where there is a will there is a way." In the ])erson, of 
Augustus Finney, Lanesville possessed a valuable agent for the accomplishment of her 
purposes. Gentlemanly in appearance and pleasant in address, and having an eh iipient 
and persuasive tongue, he was just the man to make "the worse appear the better rea- 
•son." Added to the above qualifications were these : He had ajicrt'ect knowledge of 
human nature, could read character like an open book, and was not over scrii])ulous in 
the use of means. He Avas put together for a diplomat, but the tinu>s being out of joint, 
he never graced the station for which he was intended. 

Mr. Finney also possessed a personal interest in the location of the road. He had 
purchased a half interest in the saw mill, and five acres of land with a frontage ex- 
tending from Market to Church street. In the spring of 1887, a few weeks after the 
appointment of the commissioners— Levi 8. Humphrey, of ]Monroe, being one— Mr. 
Finney appeared at JVIonroe to advocate the claims of the Lanesville route. A public 
meeting was convened in the Court House to listen to the statements and arguments 
of the Lanesville orator. It did not take much to arouse the enthusiasm of Monroe 
■ city people then. The Toledo war was but just closed, and the State but three months 
admitted under the hated compromise that robbed them of a harbor. The State had 
just borrowed five millions of dollars, and was going to build them a railroad across 
the State. Monroe was to become the metropolis of 2»Iichigan, while the ague-shaken 
denizens of Toledo would hover over the swamps that environ the place, until their 
bloodless bodies should find a sepulcher in her miry soil. Under such a state of feel- 
ing the Court House was easily filled with the business men of Monrop. Mr. John C. 
Hogaboam, then a citizen of Monroe, was present and heard the address of ISIr. Fin- 
ney. He spoke of the beautiful country around Lanesville, and of the fertility of the 
soil; but principally of the nuunmoth water power about to be created near by, by 
the famous Great Bend race ; the power would be estimated by the thousand horse 
power, and the machinery driven would not only equal, but would surpass the great- 
est manufacturing cities of the world. Then he recounted the names of the members 
of the Great Bend Company, emphasizing the names of their own townsmen 
interested in the venture, and dwelt on each branch of the subject, until the audience 
fancied they saw a great manufacturing town on the Bean, only fifty miles away, fur- 
nishing the food, the furniture, and the clothing for the hundred thousand inhabitants 
of the city of Monroe. 

Satisfying the people paved the way for labor with the connnissioners. However 
well satisfied they might be of the growing importance of Lanesville, still they must 
be governed in a great measure by the reports of the surveyors who should run the 
preliminary lines, and these would not be run until the autumn. When the reports 
were in, the fullest consideration would be given eacli of the proposed routes, so said 
the commissioners. It was, therefore, necessary to attend to the surveyors from whom 
the report was expected. The preliminary surveys were made in the autnnni of 1837, 
hut the road was not established until the fall of 1838. During all that time the ques- 
tion was open, and argument, persuasion, and more substantial inducements were the 
order of the day. 

July 24th Levi N. Bowlsby, one of the surveyors, became the owner of six and 



HUDSON. 



<?iglity-three one-lumdredths acres of land in Lanesville. Tlie ti'act now known as 
the Bowlsby plat is a part of that purchase. The consideration mentioned in the deed 
is four hundred and twenty dollars. A member of the engineer corps, within a few 
years, speaking of the location of the road at Lanesville, said "there were visionS"0£ 
corner lots never realized." Whether he meant the citizens did not fulfill their prom- 
ises, or tliat Bowlsby did not divide, is unknown. 

Whether the inhabitants of the other routes offered any substantial inducements 
is imknowii, but the probability is they relied upon their superior route, and deemed. 
it impossible that the road would be laid on the longest and hardest route, until its^ 
location was fixed, and then offers were useless. The inducements operating on the 
minds of surveyors and commissioners will probably never be known, but that they 
did locate the Michigan Southern Railroad between Adrian and Hillsdale on the most 
ineligible route is a fact that can never be obliterated. The State commenced to take 
conveyances of right of way between Adrian and Hudson in November, isas. The 
release of Stephen Allen bears date November 28th. 

In the spring of 1838 Mr. Finney brought his wife to Lanesville, and lived in a house 
tJiat then stood near where the Friend bakery now is. Here he kept tavern— the 
original Hudson tavern. 

HAKD TIMES-CAUSES, Etc. 

It becomes necessary here to notice another series of events that had an important 
bearing upon the development of the Valley, as well as Michigan in general. At the 
beginning of 1837 there were sixteen chartered banks in the State ; nine of them were 
chartered by the Territorial Legislative Council, and seven by the State Legislature 
of 18.36. The following is a list of the banks, in the order of their organization: 
Michigan, Detroit; Monroe, Iklonroe; Pontiae, Pontiac; River Raisin, Monroe; Wash- 
tenaw, Ann Arbor; Erie and Kalamazoo, Adrian; Farmers' and Mechanics', Detroit; 
Michigan State, Detroit: Merchants' and .Mechanics',' Detroit; St. Clair. St. Clair: 
Clinton, Clinton; Calhoun. Marshall: Oakhmd County, Pontiae; Constantine, Con- 
stantine; Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti; and Manhattan at Manhattan, Monroe county. 

It would seem as though these sixteen Ijanks ought to do the business of this then 
new State, but on the loth day of March, 18:^7, the Legislatm-e enacted a law provid- 
ing for the incorporation of moneyed institutions. This law provided that any 
number of men might associate together, subscribe fifty thousand dollars for a capital 
stock, and by filing articles of association with the county clerk, become incorporate. 
One-third of the capital must be owned in the county, ten per cent, be paid in before 
election of directors, and tliirty per cent, before bank notes should be issued. The 
law also contained this restrictive clause : " It shall not be lawful for any such bank- 
ing association to issue, or have outstanding or in circulation at any time, an amount 
of notes or bills loaned or put in circulation as money exceeding twice and a Imlf the 
amount of its stock then paid in and actually possessed; nor shall its loans and dis- 
counts at any time exceed twice and a, hnJf the amount of its capital stock so paid in 
and possessed." 

This was bad enough, but a subsequent statute allowed them to deposit, instead of 
specie, a bond seciu-ed on real estate. Under the operation of this law hundreds ot 
banks sprang into existence. Nearly every cross road had its bank, and it is indeed a 
wonder that the inhabitants of the Bean Creek Country could forego the luxury of a 
banking association. Every kind of property was quoted at inflated prices and wild 
land, valued at three or four times its actual value, became the security for the bank 
circidation of Michigan. These banks, on account of the character of their securities, 
were called wild cat banks, and the old banks were known as chartered banks. Banks 
of the wild cat species existed in Adrian, in Tccnnisch, and in Palmyra, in Lenawee 
county. 

About the time these wild cats had got to work, t!ie country experienced one of 



70 THE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 



'tliose financial panics wliicli so frequently shake commercial communities to their 
very center. In order that tlie reader may understand the subject, it will be neces- 
sary briefly to trace the causes whicli produced this disaster. In December, 1816, a 
new Unite<l States bank was chartered for a term of twenty years. Tliis institution, 
located at Philadelphia, became in the course of years the center of Imsiness interest. 
It was the custodian of the moneys of the government, and the j;'overnment was the. 
owner of a considerable amount of its stock ; it could and did control the rates of dis- 
count; it could make or lireak private or State banks by a bestowal or withdrawal of 
its confidence, and as it controlled tlie pockets of the nation, so it b(\t;an to also control 
its opinions and political action. Tresident .lackson attacked the bank in his first 
-animal message, 1S29, and returned to tlie attack in the annual messages of 1830 and 
1831. Notwithstanding the liostility of the President, Congress, in July, 1832, passed 
an act granting the bank a new charter. This act tlie President promiitly vetoed, but 
its failure produced no immediate effect, as the old charter did not expire until De- 
•cember, 1830. 

The Presidential campaign of is:;2 was tlien in progress. .Tackson was nominated 
for re-election, and tlie re-chartei-iiig of tlie bank was one of th(^ issues l)et\veen par- 
ties at that election. .Jackson was re-el('<'tcd. and with hiui a Ibiust' of Pe])resenta- 
tives sympathizing witli his financial views. In liis nicssagr of that year tlie President 
recommended the removal of tlie deposits and the sale of the hank stnek liel(>ngingt(t 
the United States. So tlioroughly entrenched was the l>anlc in the business 
interests of the country that Congress dare not make t!ie attack. P>ut so soon as Con- 
gress had adjourned, the President directed the Secretary of the Treasury to remove 
the deposits. The Sccrctai y, ^Ir. William J. Duane, hesitated. There were about 
.$10,000,000 of goveniiii.nt fiimls in tlie bank; the bank loans amounted to .'^(;(),(i(io,O0i), 
land were so distribulci! a:> to effect aluiost every hamlet in the nation, and the Secre- 
tary had not sufiicieiit cnuiane tn jostle the monster that might easily crush whole 
-parties, and whose destruction, if accomplished, would bring ruin on almost every 
hnsiuess house, and whose dying throes would be felt in every household in the land. 
The President at length made a peremptory order to remove the money, and to deposit 
it in certain State banlcs. The Secretary promptly refused, and the President as 
•promptly removed him and apiiointed Eoger B. Taney, of Maryland, to ^lie Secretary's 
office. The business community' were startled, and prophecies of wide-spread disas- 
ter freely made, but an iron han<l was at the helm of Shite, and nothing would stay 
its work or change its purpose. The new Seeretary eoinmeiiced the removal in Octo- 
her, is:;:!; th.e greater imrt was removed within four iiiiudhs, and the entire work was 
!';)iiilileted within nine iiiontlis. The ilesi^nated State l)aidvs received the deposits, 
and to relieve' the threatened financial disaster discounted freely. Indeed, the deposit 
of the national funds among several rival banks stimulated reckless speculation. 
Each bank was anxious to do more business than its neighbor, and therefore in every 
possible way made money easily obtainable. They believed the money would remain 
'until needed by the government for ordinary governmental purposes, and therefore 
treated it as so much capital, and increased their circulation in proportion to the de- 
posit. Money was plenty, and business was unduly stimulated. The importation of 
foreign goods was largely increased, leaving large balances on the debtor side of the 
leilger. These balances had to lie ]Kiid in gold, which was at a considerable premium. 
TnteriKil imi.iro\ cments and all the industrial ])ursuits w(.'re inordinately stimulated, 
and reekless s[ieculation, Hsiieeially in real estate, was largely indulged in, which in 
183C amounted to a mania. Says Lossing, " A hundred cities and a thousand villages 
were laid out on broad sheets of paper, and made the basis of vast moneyed transac- 
tions." In December, 183.5, the great New York conflagration occurred, by which 
five hundred and twenty-nine buildings and twenty millions of dollars worth of 
'property were destroyed. 

If Jackson was an enemy of extravagance and its parent and promoter— a paper 
currency— he also was a firm believer in the doctrine of State rights, and during his 



HUDSON. 71 



- atlmimstiation the doctrine was strictly and severely enforced. He was not prepared, 
like Calhoun, to carry it to the length of nullification and secession; but so far as he 
belie\'ed in it, he unrelentingly applied it to the affairs of the general government. 
By that code all the receipts of the government, in excess of its expenditures on the 
juuTowest basis, belonged to the States, and to them it sliould go. Accordingly, in 
Januai-y, 1836, Congress directed the Secretary of the Treasury to divide the money 
Iji excess of five millions among the several States, on the basis of their representa- 
iiou in the House of Representatives. Notwithstanding this portent of tJie gathering 
storm, it was imheeded, and reckless speculation continued and increased into, mad- 
tie.ss. In the midst of this wide-spread financial dissipation, (July 11th, 1836,) the 
-Fresident caused a treasm-y oi'der to be issued, directing that all duties shoidd be paid 

jngold and silver coin. A deputation of New York merchants waited on him to se- 

•<?.ure its rescission. But he was inexorable. He told them hard times were produced 
by reckless expenditure and speculation, and any measiu-e that would stop the flood- 

-tide of extravagance, although productive of present distress, would eventually be of 

: Tier vice to the country. 

At length the time fixed by Congress for tlie distribution of tlie money arrived. 
More than a year had elapsed since the passage of the act gave notice to the banks 

•and the business community to prepare for the effects of shortened capital, but no 
preparation had been made. On the contrary, recklessness had increased in pro- 
5x>Ftlon as the time for preparation shortened. In proportion as the currency was 
'oiiverted into coin for payment to the Government, the amount available for busi- 
ness purposes was decreased. Discounts could not be obtained, and therefore 
business could not be continued. In the months of March and April, 1837, there were 
failures in the city of New York aggregating more than a hundred million of dollars. 
A deputation of merchants waited on ^Ir. Van Buren, then just seated (May, 1837,) in 
ihe Presidential chair, and asked him to defer the collection of -duties on imports, to 
re.scind the treasury order of July 11th, 1836, and to call an extra session of Congress. 
He refused, and May 10th all the banks of New York suspended payment, and the 
banks of the entire counti-y followed their example. On the 16th day of May the 
Legislature of the State of New Yorlc authorized the suspension of specie payments 

. for one year. 

It was in times such as these that ^Michigan launched her system of wildcat banks. 

■ They were but just organized when the crash came, and well would it have been for 
.the State if they had been swept out of existenci'. But they were legal banking 
iiou-ses, and were entitled to any measure provided for the relief of honest bankers. 

-On the 2'2d day of June the Legislature of Michigan passed an act to suspend specie 
jmyments until the 16th day of June, 1838. An act was also passed curtailing the 

<ba,uk circidation. Before that, chartered banks were authorized to issue their notes 
or bills for an amount not to exceed three times the amount of capital actually paid 
ill, and the wildcat banks were authorized to issue their notes to the amount of two 

-and one-half times the amomit of paid in capital. By the act of June, 1837, the circu- 

. lation was limited to once and a half the amount of paid in capital. Banks that had 
ve-sted interests to protect, were careful in the extreme, discounted sparingly, and 
then only on undoubted paper. But the wildcats had no vested interests. Their 
•<^apital. existed largely in imagination, and the requirement of the law that thirty-hun- 
■Iredths of the capital should be coin in the vaults was almost wholly disregarded. 
,\s their own securities were to a great extent a myth, they ran no risk in accepting 
almost any secmlty for their nearly worthless promises to pay. Therefore their 
■notes were in everybody's hands, while those of tlie chartered banks were almost as 
.scarce as gold. With two illustrations of the financial state of the times, we will dis- 
miss this part of our subject. 

The bank commissioners were required to visit every bank once in three months to 
ijquire into its condition. After visiting several of these banks the commissioner, 
ludge Felch, had.his curiosity. aroused by the seeming similarity in their piles of coin 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



deposit. At each place the coin Avas counted, and althonfth the amount varied ju 
little, the pieces had a familiar look, and he was almost sure he had handled those 
pieces daily for a week or more. At last he determined to s<i)Jve the mystery. 0». 
coming out of a bank vault the cashier was surprised to see the commissioner lock It: 
and ]nit the key in his pocket. He innnediately retraced his steps and re-examined 
every bank, and found their vaults destitute of coin. .So much illustrative of bank- 
ing; the other will illustrate business interests. 

Mr. John C. Ilogaboam at that time resided in Monroe. In the spring and summer 
of 18.38 he built the Monroe City Mills for Frost & Burch. The proprietors had an. 
abundance of money, but it was of the wildcat variety, and they were in no way par- 
ticular about advancing any amount of it to their workmen. Each Saturday afternooB 
the contractor would ascertain just how much each man would take, and how mweh 
he needed for his own marketing, and then draw that amount and no more. Ont," 
Saturday night, by some error of calculation, he had four dollars left over. Monday 
morning it was dead. When the mill was ready for raising, the contractor went Xo 
Detroit to prociu-e the tackle. He was furnished chartered bank notes enough tor 
that pvupose, but Frost & Bmch, who were merchants, had a lot of wildcat money 
they could not use. This they requested him to take along and buy exchamge if pos- 
sible, but at all events to trade it off for something. He tried to work it off for tackle 
or sell it for exchange at any rate of discount, all to no purpose. At last he wandered 
into a lumber yard. He told the proprietor he wanted to buy about eight hundred 
dollars worth of lumber if his money would pay for it. "From what bank is your 
money?" asked the proprietor. "The bank of Brest," was the reply. "Well," saitJ 
he, "if I can use it to pay my debts we can trade." In half an hour he returned with 
the intelligence that he could use it. The lumber was measured and loaded on a ves- 
sel that day. It would not do to leave it in the yard over night. If the bank should 
fail to open its doors next morning the lumber would be reclaimed. Therefore no 
rest was taken until the lumber was on the lake. 

The railroad having been established through Lanesville,.some of tlie inhabitantE- 
of Keene and Lenawee villages commenced preparations for moving their effects to 
the fortunate ville. January 1st, 1839, Anderson & Colvin purchased of William H. 
H. Van Akin one acre of land south of the railroad track. On the twenty-second day 
of July they purchased land of Beriali 11. Lane on the west side of High sti'eet, and 
on the fifth day of August, 1839, they purchased the old Franklin lot, where Mrs.. 
Hazlett's house now is. 

Dr. L. G. Hall came to Hudson in the spring, and Dr. S. M. Wirts in the fall. Frank- 
lin Smith opened a store on the west side of the creek, and William Baker came ui. 
but was employed in railroad surveying. May the twenty-third, Mrs. Phebe P. Lane,, 
wife of Beriali 11. Lane, Esq., died. The railroad was partly graded, aud the job of 
building the Hudson biidges was let to W^illiam Winans, of Adrian. 

In the winter t)f lHo9-40, Anderson & Colvin removed a partly finished building froift 
Keene, and incorporated it into the Franklin Hotel, then building. 

On tlie seventh day of February, 1840, Silas Eaton purchased his old residence lot,, 
on the west side of High street, of Simeon Van Akin. It is said he moved his house 
from Keene, but Charles E. Ames is as sure he sold his house there to his father^, 
Charles Ames. But be that as it may, he came to Hudson immediately after his pur- - 
chase, and before nud-summer was living in hie-tvwn house on his lot. 

Early in the spring of 1840, C. H. & H. M. Boies came to Hudson and opened a 
general store in a long, one story frame building which then stood on the site of the 
store now occupied by C. R. Beach. Augustus Finney had moved into his new house,. 
Avhieh stood just in the rear of the block known as the Exchange Block; indeed, it. 
afterwards formed a ]>art of the old Exchange Hotel. At the time now inider consid- 
eration, save the store occupied by Messrs. Boies, just alluded to, and the old hotel 
building, there was no other building north of ;Main street, between Market an<T 
Church streets. 



HUDSON. 



In the spring of 1840, the old liotel was kept by D. V. Hannahs. It was a miserable 
building and was abandoned as a hotel in the svnnnier or fall of 1840. 

In July, ;Mr. John C. Hogaboani and family moved into Lanesville from Monroe. 
Mr. Ilogaboam came to the Bean Creek Country in March of that year, but he did not 
remove his family imtil July. They arrived on the second day, and that summer oc- 
cupied a little frame building which stood about where Mrs. Loomis' house now is, 
but the house faced the north. It was a balloon frame upright, with a lean-to of the 
same sort along the south side. It was a pretty good house in dry weather, and a fair 
strainer in wet weather. The family remained here until the latter part of October, 
when they moved onto their farm in Pittsford. The family consisted of the parents 
and three children, John S. Brownell (an apprentice,) and a maiden lady named 
Mudge. During the latter part of July and the months of August and September 
Miss Mudge was the only well person in the house. Mr. Ilogaboam had the ague 
every day, Mrs. Ilogaboam the chill fever. Brownell the billions fever, and the chil- 
dren the agtie. 

Mr. Winans, the contractor for tlie Lanesville bridges, sub-let the contracts to 
Eaton, Lane and Childs. They built the bridge over Bean Creek in the summer of 
1840, and that over the swamp west of the village in 1841. The bridge over Bean 
Creek was trestle or bent work from Tiffin street to tlie bank in front of James Cos- 
giove's house. There was a long string of bents, and when, several years afterwards, 
the embankment was made, the dirt was filled in around the timber, leaving the bents 
standing. The bridge over the swamp was likewise a series of bents, and were filled 
aromid in tlie same manner. 

In the sununer, Drs. Baldwin and Roniyne settled in Hudson. Baldwin remained 
several years, but Ilomyne the next season went west and settled in the village of 
Colon, St. Joseph county, Michigan. 

William II. Johnson came to Hudson in 1839 or '40 and engaged in trade. For the 
next twenty years he was one of Hudson's busiest men. During the war he was 
(piartermaster in the L^nited States service, and made the march with Sherman to 
the sea. 

Johii M. Osborn came to Hudson in the tall of 1840. He taught the east side school 
that winter in the back room of W. H. Johnson's store. 

This was a j^ear of great political excitement. The "Whigs had been out of power 
for twelve years, and exti-aordiuary efiiorts were made to regain it. Contrary to ex- 
pectation, the times hatl not improved since 183T, but were constantly growing worse. 
By this time the wildcat banks had run their course and died, and there was indeed 
no currency. In 1838, and even in 1839, men liad been kept at work, and although 
paid in wildcat money, they were busy, and consequently had no time to grumble. 
But now nearly the whole working class were out of employment, discontented and 
complaining. 

The Whigs believed the hard times were all chargeable to the destruction of the 
United States bank, and seemed to believe that with such an institution in the coun- 
try, exti-avagance and patent violation of the laws of trade would go unpmiished. 
They had nominated Gen. Harrison for the Presidency, and adopting coon skins, hard 
cider and log cabins as their insignia, crying "Corru])tion" at every breath, they made 
the campaign. On their banners was the inscription, "SS.OO a day and roast beef 
under Harrison ; .$0.06?^ a day and sheep's pluck under Van Buren." The idle, the 
dissolute, and the unthinking rushed after the banner that promised so much, and 
joined in the hue and cry against the administration. The material for large proces- 
sions was at hand, for mechanics and laborers had little else to do. Those who could 
sing were employed in vociferating log cabin songs, and those who could not sing 
halloed themselves hoarse in the praise of hard cider, Tippecanoe and Tyler too. The 
Van Biu-en atlministration was literally swept out of existence, and the Whig parti- 
.sans retired to winter quarters to dream of the two dollars a day and the roast beef 
that awaited them under Han-ison's administration. 



74 THE I3EAN CREEK VALLEY. 

The year 1841 opened gloomily enough. The excitement of the previous year had 
died with the coming of the winter frosts, and now even the most unthinking began 
to doubt the ability of the incoming administration to grant relief from the hard and 
still hardening times which oppressLMl them. The Whig State administration went 
into power on the first of January, and the Legislature convened. They literally did 
nothing— huleed, they could do nothing— for the relief of the people. Having cried 
<:^orru])tion and promised reform, they found themselves in straightened circum- 
stances. To abandon the public works would be to throw hundreds more ovit of 
employment; to continue them required money, for which they dared not resort to 
taxation, for that would seem to add to rather than lighten the burthens of the people. 
In this dilemma they resorted to the issue of State script, and with this they paid the 
laborers on the public works. 

The railroad appropriation bill was passed on the I'ith day of March, 1841. It ap- 
propriated .$200,000 for the construction of the Southern from Adrian to Hillsdale, but 
it had this restriction : "That the commissioners of internal improvement be directed 
in making contracts on the several works of internal improvement, to make them pay- 
able in drafts upon the several installments of the five million loan yet due from the 
United States bank, as they may become due, or from such funds as may come into the 
ti-easury to the credit of the internal improvement fund derivable from the five mil- 
lion loan, the sinking fund, or the five per cent, fund; so that the State shall in no 
way he responsible for their iiayment. and so that no claim for damages shaU he 
made against the State in eonseiiueure of the delay or failure of the payment of said 
drafts; and if eoutiaels at a reasonable j)rice cannot ]»e made under the above restric- 
tion, f/ir co;/uH(x.s;ojuy.s ni-c hcrilnj iltra-liil to nuiU,' iii> ciiiitnictsr These drafts 
were issued in small deuomhiatious and were called si-ripl, and this was the kind of 
money lai)orers were paid with. Much of the time it was worth forty-seven cents on 
a dollar. 

The east side school district, No. 5, had been organized in the fall of 18-40, and this 
spring (1841) both disti-icts commenced new school houses. That on the east side 
was built by Mr. J. C. Ilogaboam, and finished in time for the summer school. The 
building still exists, and is now used as a cooper shop, near the residence of Mr. 
Samuel C. Perkins, on north High street. When first built it was situated near the 
present residence of Dr. Thomas B. Minchin ; it was afterwards removed to Hill street, 
just west of High sti'eet, and after its abandonment for school piu-poses it wa.s re- 
moved to its present location. 

The west side school house was built by Messrs. Wade and Lane. The west part 
of the long building owned by J. K. Boies & Co., on the east side of South Church 
street, was that school house, except the porch and tower, which have been removed. 
These latter — the porch and tower— were added by a suliseription taken among Con- 
gregationalists, to give the building something of a chnrchly appearance, for they 
contemidated holding their services there. The building was finished in time for the 
winter term. 

' The Messrs. Boies were ardent Whigs, and seemed to 1)elieve all the campaign 
pronuses of better times. They projected the erection of a new store building, and 
commenced it early in the spring of 1841. The original Lanesville house was used as 
a shop for the preparation of the finish for the store. When well advanced, the shop 
and contents were destroyed by fire. Mr. H. M. Boies ^vith(lrew from the firm in 
JNIay, but the building was raised and covered, and there work on it stopped for want 
of means. The building was finished in the winter of 1842-3. It occupied the site of 
the present Beardsell & Plympton store, and was destroyed by fire about 18.53. 

Some time during this year William Baker opened a store in Hudson, east side, and 
for thirty years he was one of Hudson's foremost business men. Although he did 
not always make money in his ventures and sometimes was "hard up," yet the pro- 
ducers loved him for his open, frank Avays and evident desire to pay them all their 



HUDSON. 



products were worth. In the first paper printed in Hudson was one of Baker's mani- 
festoes. It has the Baker ring : 

In the first paper published in this place I avail myself of the opportunity of tender- 
ing thanks to my friends for their liberal patronage for the last twelve years. If we 
refer back to our first settk-ment in tliis place, wc will discover that the change has 
been wonderful,— trulv astonisliing. Then we had only half a dd/.en lioyscs and a pop- 
ulation eiiuallv as sparse. One of tliose pioneers used to invite the few fo his house for 
public worship ou the .Subbatli. Tlie scenes of those tlays are familiar to those only 
who passed througli tliem and still sm-vive. Peace to the ashes anil honor to the 
memorv of Goo(bich. Lane, Tiatt, Cobb, and Wells. These men labored not only for 
themselves, but for others; tliev were the worthiest of the worthy. Now we have 
three churches which will compare in size and finish with eastern houses, and a pop- 
ulation sufficient to fill them on the Sabbath. (Juv business has increased, we are 
still acting as agents for the peo])le, and the following gentlemen will exhibit a part 
of the articles which we have for sale : Mr. S. A. Eaton, O. S. Ames, and K. Knapp. 
We will wait iipon vou with pleasin-e, and of our gratitude to you for your kindness, 
patromme and torhcarance we will leave it with Hun whose prerogative it is to judge. 

Hudson, July 4, 1853. William BAxia:, Jr. 

The year 1843 v/as still more gloomy than the preceding, and yet the people had 
learned to acconnnodate themselves to the times, and were more contented. By the 
inexorable law of necessity, the country was being cleared up. In order to support 
any kind of existence something must be produced, and as crops could not be grown 
m the woods those woods must be cut down. There was no market for wood, but 
there was a market for ashes, and therefore the timber must be converted into ashes. 
The products to be disposed of brought merely nothing, for want of market facilities. 
From Adrian to Toledo and Monroe there was a sort of railway conmiunication, but 
eastward to Buffalo there w^as none save by lake, and that Avas frozen up half of tlu' 
year. Mr. Eldad Trumbull, of Pittsford, tells of selling pork for one dollar twelve 
and a half cents per hundred pounds, and paying one dollar and fifty cents a pound 
for tea,— about one hundred and thirty pounds of pork for a pound of tea, — and poor 
tea at that. But amongst farmers and mechanics an exchange trade had grown up. 
If a farmer wanted a barn built he woidd seek some person who wanted land cleared, 
■or a yoke of oxen, or a cow, or something to eat, and an exchange of labor or com- 
modities was effected. In this way the country was being cleared up, and substantial 
barns and some frame houses built. The gi-eatest drawback on the prosperity of the 
country was the fact that it was bankrupt. Michigan merchants owed wholesale 
dealers more thou the entire real and personal estate would sell for under the hammer, 
and in turn the people owed the Michigan merchants sufficient sums to make that 
ruinous aggregate. Under then existing laws every cent's worth of the debtor's 
property coidd be sold on execution. The Legislature of 18i2 passed an act exempt- 
ing personal property, to certain specified amomits, from sale on execution. They 
also passed an act forbidding the sale of real estate on execution. If personal prop- 
erty could not be found sufficient to satisfy the execution, and real estate was levied 
on, it was to be appraised by three disinterested persons at its fair cash value, and if 
more than enough, at two-thirds of its appraised value, to satisfy the debt, then the 
appraisers set off by metes and bounds enough of it to satisfy the debt, estimating it 
at two-thirds its appraised value. If the creditor signified his acceptance within ten 
days and the land was not redeemed within six months, then the recording of the ex- 
ecution, levy, appraisal and acceptance operated as a deed to the creditor. If the 
creditor did not accept within ten days, the officer discharged the levy. 

Before the enactment of these laws the knowledge that property accumulated might 
be sacrificed by forced sale operated to discom-age accumulation, but these enact- 
ments encouraged farmers and others to strive to better their condition, and within a 
year or two their beneficial influence became apparent. 

The Legislature also, on the 17th day of February, 1842, by joint resolution, author- 
ized the commissioners of internal improvement to pledge the net proceeds of the 
Southern road for a term not to exceed five years, to purchase iron to iron it, and for 
its completion from Adrian to Hillsdale. 



THE BEAN CltEEK VALLEY. 



At the election held in the fall the Democrats were successful. The Whig admin- 
istration having failed to perform its "two dollars a day and roast beef" promise, 
stepped down and out, quietly remarking that Gov. Barry would find only a bogus 
dollar and a ten-penny nail in tlie State treasury. And yet the country was gradually 
improving its condition and clearing the way for the dawn of a prosperous era. 

In tlie month of May, 1843, the locomotive Comet ran into the village of Hudson, 
and before tlie close of the season cars were running regularly to Hillsdale. 

It will be impossible from this point onward to give the history of Hudson in detail. 
It would require a volume to note every arrival and tlie business career of all her 
business men. We shall have to content ourselves, therefore, with a brief mention 
of the more important events in her history. Soon after the opening of the railroad 
to Hudson the two old warehouses were built, — one by W. L. and E. D. Larned (now 
the Rodney House), the other by H. M. Boies, who returned to Hudson in the winter 
of 1842-3. At first the railroad depot was on the west side of the creek, just west of 
Church street; but when the road was sold to the Michigan Southern Railroad Com- 
pany, in 1846, they were dissatisfied with its location and surroundings, and the 
people of the east side offering better accommodations, the water-tub— there was little 
else to the station then— was removed to the vicinity of the Wood street crossing. 
The company was not satisfied yet; they iiad better water, but no ground for yard or 
buildings. The west side people felt the disgrace and inconvenience of losing the 
station, and resolved to regain it if possible. With this in view they bargained for 
the ground which is now included in the depot grounds, and offered to donate it to 
the company for depot purposes. The offer was accepted, and the depot found a 
resting place. 

Among the men who came to Hudson in 1843 were two who for years afterwards 
were identified with the business interests of the place,— Lorenzo Palmer and Joseph 
]SI. .Johnson. Lorenzo Palmer came from Chautauqua county. New York. He was a 
middle-aged man. and brought with him a large family, two of whom were then young 
men. He at first engaged in teaching school, then in mercantile pursuits, and for 
many years held offices of trust in the township. He died in October, 1874. 

Joseph :M. Johnson was a young man when he came to Hudson. He was born in 
Yorkshire, Eng., May 13th, 1819, and emigrated to the United States and settled in 
Wayne county. 'Sl'wh.. in isni. He became a resident of Hudson in July, 1843, and 
engaged in the iiiaimfacluiv of furniture. On tlie 22d day of February, 1844, he was 
uiarried to nanl(>t Xcwcll. only daughter of Silas Eaton. From 1848 to 1852 he 
was nma.uvd in iiicrcaiitile Itusiness. He was burned out in the spring of 1852. In 
liitiT years Mr. .Idliv.sdii liuilt one-half of the Arcade Block, and established the nian- 
utactuving establishuit^nt on the fiats between Fayette and Mechanic sti-eets. In 
1876 he traded his Hudson property for property in Toledo, and removed thither about 
the first of June. 

FIRES. 

Hudson has had her full share of fires, but we can only notice here her three great 
confiagrations. The first occurred in 1852, and although it burned only two buildings, 
was a considerable loss for the Hudson of that period. The second occurred in 1858, 
and by it all the buildings on the north side of Main street, from about where Beardsell 
& Plympton's store now stands to IMarket street, A\ere destroyed. The third occurred 
on the night of Sunday, the third day of January, 1804, and destroyed the buildings 
on the south side of Main street from Eaton Bros, store to Market street. The build- 
ings were all wood, but they were in good condition and afforded much needed 
business places. The loss was estimated at about |!8,000. Temporary loss has been 
eventual gain, however, for in each instance a better class of buildings replaced those 
destroyed. 



HUDSON. 



THE WAR. 

Huriiifi the war of the great rebellion Hudson did her whole duty, both as to men 
and money, to carry on the war. She gave her DeCxolyer, her Preston, her Carleton, 
lier Piper, her Edwards, and a score or more of others, as sacrifices on the altar of a 
common country. An attempt was made to procure a list of Hudson soldiers, but the 
difficulties to be overcome were so great it could not be accomplished in time for this 
work. 

BUSINESS FIPvMS AND VENTURES. 

The Old Cokner Store.— The business conducted by J. K. Boies & Co.— general 
store — was established in early times, and with the exception of a single year, per- 
haps, has been continuous. The Hon. Henry M. Boies came to Lanesville in 1840, or 
thereabouts, and in the summer of 184<) was in trade with Curtis H. Boies. He sold 
out his interest in May, 18il, purchased a stock of goods, and opened tiade in Troy, 
N. Y. He could do nothing there on account of tlie crushing times, and thinking he 
could do better in Jackson, Michigan, with the consent of his creditors he removed 
his stock thither. Hard times were there also, and in the winter of 1843-3 he again 
removed his stock, this time to Hudson, and again went in trade with Curtis H. Boies. 
The partners divided their business about 1845, and Henry M. started business for 
liimself. He built the building on the northeast corner of Main and Market streets, 
lately used as a bowling alley, in the winter of 1846, About 1846 John K. Boies came 
to Hudson and commenced w^ork for his brother. In the course of time the business 
took the name of H. M. Boies »& Brother, under which style it was conducted many 
years. About 18.S4 they built the brick store at the corner of Main and Church streets, 
and about 185.5 sold out their business to the stock-store people, but that institution 
going under soon after, sold in turn to the Boieses, and inider their management it 
has continued ever since. Some years later, Henry M. withdrew to engage in the 
wholesale trade in New York, and then John K. took the helm. Its style has varied 
— once J. K. Boies, once James, Mosher & Co., and again J. K. Boies & Co. — but it 
lias ever been under the same management. No one knows except the founder how 
many discouragements were met in the early years of this business house. In 1847 it 
was really bankrupt, but, thanks to the pluck of the proprietor, the community never 
knew it, and subsequent prosperous jears enabled the house to pay all its liabilities, 
and to-day its founders coiuit their wealth by tens of thousands. About 1871 the 
Hon. Henry M. Boies closed up his business in New York and opened a business 
house in Chicago. So much for pluck, industry and skill, in the management of a 
business house. 

Exchange Bank.— This institution was founded in 1855, by Henry M. Boies and 
Nathan Rude, but the entire control and management of it has been in the hands of 
our townsman, Mr, Nathan Rude. That the management has been successful, every 
business man knows. Several years later, John K. Boies became interested in the 
bank, since which time the firm has been known as Boies, Rude & Co. Several 
months since Mr. Rude was compelled, by failing health, to give up the management 
•of the bank, since which time its management has devolved upon the Hon. John K. 
Boies. 

Another Great Mill Pro.ject.— In 1847 or '48 Hudson had lier second mill ex- 
citement. About that time one RoUin, or Holland, came to Hudson and proposed to 
put up a mammoth flouring mill. lumiediately after the abandonment of the original 
.saw mill, the new race was dug and a new saw mill built on the site of the present 
grist mill of Tucker & Wiggins. This mill property Rollin bought, or bargained for, 
and gave out a bill of timber for the new mill. His pretence was that he had just 
drawn a large prize in a lotterj^— $50,000 he said— and would realize his money in a 
short time, but it was important to push the mill right along, and he proposed to 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



make a temporary loan, to be repaid as soon as his money was received. He loaned 
considerable money of Dr. S. M. Wirts, and W. II. Johnson, who was then in trade, 
honored his orders for the payment of his workmen. The timber was hauled on to the 
Si'Oimd and the work of framing went busily on. The proprietor was a great stickler 
for nice work. A pattern was made for each sized mortise, and the mortise must 
1)6 beaten so tiiat the pattern would fit it perfectly, and the timber when finished 
looked as if planed. Thus matters progressed until the frame was nearly read>' 
for the raising, and then Rollin discovered he had no prize, but he took himself 
out of the way before his friends found it out. Dr. Wirts and William II. Johnson 
found themselves short of a large sum of money, with only a lot of timber to show 
for it. To prevent an entire loss, it was resolved to build tlie mill on a reduced scale, 
and run it by steam alone. It had been intended to use both water and steam power. 
Accordingly the mill was raised on the railroad gi'ound directly east of Wood street. 
It was finished and run several years, generally, it is tliought, at a loss to the 
operators. At last the frame was sold to Edwin M. Ilulburd, who took it down and 
piled the timber by his mill, with the intention of building a large addition there- 
to, but the project Avas abandoned. 

The IluLBURD Mill.— In the meantime old uncle Simeon Van Akin became the 
owner of the water power, and converted the saw mill into a giist mill, but before it 
had been operated long, Brearley and Hulburd became the owners. Tliey made 
several additions to it to increase its capacity, and were opening a good business, 
when the war began. Brearley about that time sold his interest in the null to Mr. 
Ilulburd, who proposed, as above stated, to enlarge it, but before the work was 
l)egun he accepted a Captain's commission in the 18th regiment of Michigan infantry, 
and was absent from his business luitil the close of the war. When he returned he 
found himself unable to make the enlargement. The old building needed repairing, 
and there was a new dam to be built. These nectessary repairs added to his embar- 
rassment, and finally in the spring of 1875 he deeded the iiroperty to the mortgagees, 
who sold it to its present proprietors, Tucker and Wiggins. 

The Stock Store.— About the year 1853 the farmers became dissatisfied with the 
course of ti'ade, and thought they could manage their own business without the aid of 
middle-men. So a comiiany was organized for mercantile and foi'warding pin-poses. 
The project was to start a store, in charge of an agent, at which store the stockholders 
were to purchase goods at ten iier cent, advance on New York cost, and others should 
pay a larger, but at the same time a reasonable profit. Their produce was to be for- 
warded to New York, sold by a commission house, and the farmer was to receive the 
whole price, less the cost of transportation and sale. The stock was subscribed, Mr> 
Edwin F. Wells emi)loyed as agent, and a store opened. Prices did come down, of 
covn-se, and the merchants found their best customers leaving them. They tried to 
l)rave the storm by furnishing goods at I'educed rates, but they found that a ruinous 
business, and II. M. Boies & Brotlier offered to sell their stock totbe association. The 
offer was accepted, and the stock store moved into the corner store building. Here 
they carried on business for a while, until it became evident that there was fault in 
the management, for applications for payment of bills began to be made directly to 
stockholders. An investigation was had, and it was found that the institution was 
l)ankru]it. The stockholders nuist now put their hands in their own pockels to 
make u]i the losses, but they resolved to stop that leak, and sold the institution out. 

The SpoivE Fa( 'touy.— In 1852 or '53, Mr. Alexander M. Ocobock built a two- 
story wood building, on tlie site of the present spoke factory, for the purpose of 
manufacturing wagons. Fnim manufacturing his own si)okes, hubs and felloes, he 
got to mami(a(turiiis Uiv shipuicnt, and afterwards a Mr. Munson became associated 
with him. Sooii afterwards the building burned down. Mr. Ocobock retired from 
the business, but Munson undertook to rebuild on a more extensive scale. Samuel 



HUDSON. 79 



DeGolyer came liere and joined ^Munson in the enterprise, ilunson became in- 
volved, and tlirougli some management lie retired, and Samuel DeGolyer managed 
the business as agent, his New York brother ostensibly owning the business. De- 
Golyer was a patriotic man ; the first tap of the recruiting drum fired hhn for action. 
He went into the army in command of company F, 4th Michigan infantry, and 
.Tames DeGolyer took his place. Soon afterwards the business name was James De- 
Golyer & Co., Samuel's widow (for he had died of a wound received at Vicksburg), 
being the company. In the spring of 1876, Mr. William A. Whitney (who had 
married the widow DeGolyer and had been managing her interest), bought out James 
DeGolyer, and now the business firm was Whitney & -Co. Until the financial panic 
of 1873 the factory was doing a good business. Since then it has sjiupathized with 
the general depression in manufacturing interests. 

The Taxxeky was for several years one of the business institutions of the town. 
It was owned and operated by Samuel Eddy, but it is believed never was a paying in- 
stitution. 

The business ventures originating since 1860 do not properly belong to our theme, 
and, with one or two exceptions, will not at this time be noticed. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

The first attempt at journalism in the township and village of Hudson was made 
by William II. Bolsby, on the 9th day of July, 1&53. The paper was called the Hud- 
son Sentiuel, and i\Ir. Montgomery was both editor and proprietor. About the 
beginning of the next year, Canniff & ]Nrontgomery became the proprietors of the 
Sentinel, and Andrew C. Mercer editor. In November Mr. Canniff appeared as editor 
and proprietor, Joseph G. Davenport publisher, and in December, Davenport became 
editor and proprietor. The paper was soon after consolidated with tha Michigan 
Bepuhlicnn, and was published for a short time at Adrian by one Hobart, proprietor. 

On the 13th day of September 1855, a new paper appeared. It was called the Hudson 
Courier, and was published by a company, as follows: H. M. Boies, W. H. Johnson^ 
Enos Canniff, Benjamin Turner, A. C. Mercer, L. G. Hall and Alonzo Palmer. A. C. 
]yercer was editor. 

August 15th, 1857, still another new paper appeared, the SaUinhajEvodnri News, E. 
Wolverton editor and proprietor. This paper was succeeded, :siarc!i 2C,th, l.s.58, by the 
Hudson Odzette, W. T. B. Schennerhorn editor and proprietor. The Gazette has con- 
tinued for eighteen years under one management, and has been an able village paper. 
It was printed first as a neutral sheet, then as an independent. Although for several 
years it was thought its independency leaned, it adhered to that motto until the sum- 
mer of 1876, when it came out squarely for the Democracy. It has always been an 
able paper, and for many years it was the pet of all Hudson households, no matter 
what the shade of their political opinion was. 

Late in 1863 Titus Babcock started a Eepublican newspaper in the village of Hud- 
son, which he named the Herald. He continued to run the paper until in 1865 he 
was succeeded by Russel D. Babcock and Daniel Russell; they were in turn succeeded 
by A. 11. Pattee, who changed the name to Transcript, and he, in the spring of 1868, 
by Laird & Penfield, who again changed the name to Post. Chauncey W. Stevens suc- 
ceeded to the management of the paper sometime in the year 1869, A. H. Pattee in 
1870, and James M. Scarritt in the spring of 1872. During tlie latter part of the owner- 
ship of Pattee, Dr. Andrews was editor and manager. 

When Mr. Scarritt assumed the management, in the spring of 1872, he found less 
than two hundred paying subscribers, and that the office had no reputation for job 
work and but little material to do job work with. Tiie only press that could be used 
was a Washington. Scarcely any one would subscribe for the paper,— its several 
changes had invariably been to the pecuniary loss of its subscribers, and they would 



THE BEAK CREEK VALLEY, 



trust it no more. A few would trust it for three months, and a few reckless persons 
for six months, but none longer. It was harder business than starting a new 
l^per that would have a reputation to make; this had one reputation to obliterate and 
another to make. The first year's business showed a loss of about eight hundred 
dollars ; the second scarcely paid, but a reputation had been made, and thencefor- 
ward the progress has been steady and constant. Instead of less than two hundred 
subscribers it has (Sept. 15, 1876,) one thousand five hundred and sixty. In place of 
the one Washington press, the office has a power newspaper press and a power job- 
ber, driven by steam, and a better supply of material than is found in many inland 
city offices. As a business manager, Mr. Scarntt has but few equals. 

Although Hudson now has but two papers, the time was that it had three as neat 
papers as are published anywhere. Immediately after the Rev. Jesse T. Webster 
assumed the duties of rector of Trinity church, Hudson, he commenced the publica- 
tion of the Record, a monthly parish newspaper, as an aid in parish work. This 
paper he enlarged and improved until, under a change of name, it became tlie organ, 
first of one, then of two dioceses. It was a beautiful and able religious journal, and 
was printed at the office of the Hudson Post until some time after the editor's removal 
to Detroit, when it was removed thither. 



Although, perhaps, Hudson has had her full share of petty crime, she has had but 
one murder (an infant), and but one suicide, and of the otlier crimes that shock com- 
munities it has had only one,— the robbery of the People's Bank, in 1864. 

William W. Treadwell was the son of Urias Treadwell, and was born and brought 
up on a farm in the township of Pittsford. He attended such schools as Hudson and 
Pittsford then enjoyed, and afterwards gi-aduated in a business course in an Ohio in- 
stitution. xVfter his return to Hudson he clerked it for a while in a dry goods store, 
and then for a sliort time was in the dry goods trade with William W. Palmer. After 
leaving Palmer he asked and obtained permission to assist in the People's Bank, then 
owned by the Hon John M. Osborn, without salary, just to learn the business. He 
was apt, punctual and faithful, and mastered the business rapidly. At length he be- 
came a partner in the bank, and finally, in 1859, Osborn sold his interest in the bank to 
Urias and William W. Treadwell. In 18(i3, he married Mary E.. Hester, of Huron 
county, Ohio, and a little while before the robbery, became sole proprietor of the 
bank, his father allowing the use of his name to assist his son. In stature W^illiam 
was considerable below the average height, slender in form, and had a very dark 
complexion. He had by his pleasant ways and obliging disposition made himself 
very popidar among the farmers and business men, and his safe contained large sums 
of money deposited on account of such friendship. In December, 1803, the treasurers 
of the townships of Pittsford, Rollin and Hudson commenced to deposit theii' collec- 
tions, which, increasing day by day, would be allowed to remain there imtil February 
1st, when the larger part would be withdrawn to pay State and county taxes. It now 
seems that he had niatm-ed a deep scheme of dark villainy, for on the 16th day of 
January, 1864, he sent letters to all the bankers of Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland and 
Chicago, enclosing drafts on the Continental Bank, New York, asking for discount, 
or in plain words, a loan. The bodies of the letters were alike, except as to amount : 
the address and postscript varied. Here is a sample : 

PEOPLE'S BANK. 
LTiUAs Ti5KADAVEi,L, Prcs. 
W. W. Theadwell, Cash. Hud>ion, Mich., J(m. 16f/i, 1864. 



Bear .Sir:— Herewith I enclose my draft on Continental Bank, New lork, for 
.'R1,000. Please send me proceeds in treasury notes per United States Express. 
Yours respectfuUv. 

W. W. Tr.EADWELL, Cashier. 
P. S.— Do you keep 5-20 bonds for sale, I'- 



HUDSON. 81 



These letters and drafts were dispatched by the malls Saturday, Jan. 16th, and he 
evidently expected to get returns by Tuesday night. 

Tuesday morning he went to Adrian and procured r»f the banks there $4,500. On 
his return from Adrian he carried in his hand a small black sachel. He went imme- 
diately to Mr. Galusha, the express agent, and inquired for money packages, and 
received seven packages from as many banks. Mr. Galusha remarked, "You are re- 
ceiving considerable money." "0," said Treadwell, "that is not all I have got," 
throwing aside the lapel of his overcoat and exhibiting the Adrian i)ackages in the 
inside pockets thereof. These packages he put into the sachel, and going to the 
bank threw it under the counter, giving it a careless kick, as though of but little con- 
sequence. On Wednesday he received several more packages, but yet the banks had 
not all responded. He evidently feared to wait longer, and the sequel shows that his 
fears were well founded. 

That (Wednesday) night the clerk of the bank (Mr. Webb) and Chester C. Pease 
."spent the evening with some lady friends in the south part of the village, and instead 
of returning to his boarding place that night, Mr. Webb went out to his father's house. 
a little south of Lowe's mill. He came into town next morning and proceeded to the 
bank. The bank building had been burned in tire fire of the 3d of January, and tem- 
porary quarters had been provided for it in the hardware store near by. Pease saw 
Webb go towards the bank and started to go in that direction, but he met Webb, ashy 
pale. "Chet," said he, "there is something wrong; I can't open the safe." "Per- 
haps," said Pease, "Billy has changed the combination." "No." replied Webb, "he 
never does that without telling me." So saying, they reached the store. Again and 
again was trial made without success. At this juncture a New York "runner" came 
in and said, "Let me try it." He took hold of the knob, and in a few minutes the 
door swung out on Its hinges. But what a discovery ! The well-filled safe of the 
night before was empty— every dollar in currency had flown. "Where is Treadwell?" 
was the next inquiry; but he could nowhere be found, and then the fact became 
patent that he had robbed the bank and run away. Then Galusha told of the little 
black sachel, but it, too, was gone. An examination of the books showed he had 
taken forty-two thousand dollars in round numbers from the safe, but the money he 
obtained of the banks did not go into the safe nor onto the books. He said nothing to 
his clerk of those transactions. To say there was intense excitement conveys but a 
faint idea of the situation. Money deposited to await investment, the soldiers' earn- 
ings, and the widow's mite all were gone. So intense was the excitement that it was 
almost unsafe for the grief-stricken father to appear upon the streets. A partner of 
his guilty son,— only in name, yet so far as the people knew, a real partner,— he was 
supposed to be, as he really was in law, answerable for the sums enti-usted to the. 
bank. The powers of the law were invoked, and before night a score of suits had 
been commenced, and the bailiff's voice became familiar as household words to his 
■ears. 

From all the information afterwards obtained, it appears that after the clerk left 
the bank Tuesday night, Treadwell returned and transferred the money packages 
from the safe to his black sachel. About two weeks previous he had sent his wife to 
her father's house on a visit, and he was for the time being boarding at the Exchange 
Hotel. About ten o'clock he sauntered into the office, sachel in hand, and, request- 
ing the clerk to call him for the morning train, went to his room. 

At three o'clock Thursday morning, January 21st, 1861, William W. Treadwell. 
sachel in hand, wended his way to the depot. He carried with him his father's 
wealth, the savings of the widow and the fatherless, as well as the tliousands of the 
rich men, but he left behind a crushed and heart-broken father, home and home asso- 
ciations, but above all, and more than all, his honor and his integi-ity. He carried 
thousands of dollars, but the hand that grasped it was a felon's hand. 

The reader shall not be wearied with a recital of the means resorted to for his cap- 
ture. Suffice it to say that the telegi aph was put in requisition, aud the various points 



82 THE BEAN CREEK VAXLEY. 



infoniied of the robbery and flisht. The discounted drafts commenced arriving at 
the Continental Bank on the 20th, and, so great was the confidence in the People's 
Bank, althougli its account was aheady overdrawn, tlie bank officers paid the drafts 
presented to the amount of .57,000 before a dispatch sent the 21st apprised them of 
the condition of affairs. Five tliousand dollars arrived after liis departure, but the 
express agent at once returned it to the banks from which it came. 

February 11th, ISQi, the following dispatch was received at Hudson : 

Maxsfielw, O., Feb. 11, 1864. 
'flios. Bate, Hudson: 

1 liave arrested William Tread well. What shall I do? Answer innnediately. 

C. C. Kkpxii. 

Mr. Keech was on the police force at Mansfield, had formerly known Trea<.lwelL 
and seeing him in a carriage at Mansfield depot, he at once arrested him. The officers 
at Adrian were at once notified, and in a little time Sheriff Hough, W. II. Walby, J. 
M. Osborn, .T. J. Ilogaboam and some others were on their way to Mansfield. Before 
leaving Adrian, however, they learned that Tread well had procured a writ of luiheois 
corpus returnable before the Probate Judge immediately. Keech was instructed to 
procure counsel and prolong the matter until the arrival of the party. They have a 
peculiar law in Ohio wliich provides that if whih; a person is l)cf(>ie a court on a writ 
of 7mbcas corpus, n shi-riff of another Stat«, with a propci- warrant, demands the 
prisoner, the court shall make an order for his removal without waiting for a requisi- 
tion. Keech, as directed, employed counsel, and tliey (there were two of them) raised 
and argued objections until ten o\'lf>ck at night. One of them was on the floor speak- 
ino' when the party arrived, and, looking ovc^r his shoulder at tiie party, he continued,. 
"But I see, your Honor, the sheriff of liCuawec county has ;irrivfd witii a proper 
warrant for the prisoner's arn-st, and he now demands an order for his reinoval." 
The Michigan papers were immediately examined and an order made for Treadwell's 
removal. 

As soon as Keech could Ite got aside the question was a>ke(l "Where's the sachel?" 
As soon as Keech could collert his thoughts he answered : "Wlieii j arrested Tread- 
well there was a man and a woman in the carriage witli him. Tliere was a little black 
sachel on the seat, but as Treadwell did not claim it 1 left if. siiiipo-^ing it to belong 
to the woman."" A little more inquiry revealed the fact tliat flie man and womaii 
were Treadwcirs father-in-law and wife, and that the num took tlie saejiel into th(i 
cars with him. Hester was seen, but he denied any kuowledg(> of sachel or money.. 
Trea<lwell was brought to Adrian and lodged in jail. 

After lie had l>eeu in jail a few days, Treadwell offered to make an assignment for 
the benefit of his creditors, but claimed to have only So2.(Mto. In eonsidcration of his 
assignment he wanted all prosecutions drojiped. his creditors fu sign a pajier to that 
effect. This they unanimously declined to do. 

On the 30th day of Mareli. Treadwell made an a.^signnient to Charles :SI. Croswell, 
the assignment t.o become oneralive when the creditors should sign the desired agree- 
ment. "He made a detailed statement of his affairs, from which it apjieared his total 
assets were .'(^31 ,+'^'.1.17: his tallier-in-law was to put in Alo.ooo more, making in all 
.•^()l,4s;).iT. He also stated liis liabilities to be .•^tiO.T.io.ci. F.elieving it to be the best 
that could Im- done. man\ ol rlie creditors signed tlie agreement ; but so uiany refused 
the offer went for nothing. 

On the seventh day of May Hester came to liudson to talk up 'Treadwell's matters. 
It was generally believed he had the money. The lioys held an impromptu meetin.g 
in front of the lio;''l and discussed the matter. Warunng up. ^omt' of the boys ex- 
pressed their belie j in theelticacy of mob-law in such cases. Jt hapj)ened his room 
was so located he could hear every word that passetl. He becanu^ so frightened that 
he dressed himself, went do^^ n the back stairs, and walketf to Clayton, where he 
took the morning train honu". 

Treadwell was trietl and convicted Friday. .Tuly 1st. and remanded foF seideix-e . 



HUDSON. 83 



About five o'clock the same aft«3rnoon he escaped Iroin jail in company with John 
Cowell, a convicted horse thief. 

On the 14th day of July the body of a man was found in the woods in Wood county, 
Ohio, one mile from any road, and about thirty-six miles from Adrian. The body 
was badly decomposed, but the unfortunate victim had i-eceived a series of severe 
blows on the head, for there was a large fracture of the skull on the right side. A 
club lay near the body, also a part of a lunch tied up in a calico rag. A Mrs. Eastman, 
living about two miles from the place where tlie body was found, testified that on the 
fourth day of July two men called at her house for dinner. The smaller of the two 
men paid for the dinner and also for a lunch which she gave them tied up in a piece 
of calico. The larger of the men carried a sort of club. She identified the calico and 
string found by the body as being those she gave the two men, and the club as that 
carried by one of the men. A lady living in Hester's neighborhood, being at Napole- 
on at the time the body was found, related the matter on her return home. Hester at 
once suspected the truth, went to Sandusky and caused CowelTs arrest ou suspicion. 
When arrested he had $'X>0 in his possession. It was also said he had had larger 
amounts and a gold watch. This he denied, but he said Tread well gave him $1 10 and 
his gold watch when they parted, at two o'clock on the morning of the fifth of .luly,. 
Treadwell saying he was going to Omaha. 

Hester and Mrs. Treadwell went to Napoleon. The remains were so decomposed 
as to rendt^r identification impossible, but they identified sonu.; fifteen articles found 
on the body as Tread well's property. 

At th(^ trial of t'oweli, which took place in May, 186.5, Mrs. Treadwell testified that 
before Treadwell left the Adrian jail she managed to give him $900 in $100 bills. A 
portion of them were on the Union Bank, of Rochester, N. Y., and one such bill was- 
found with Cowell at the time of his arrest. Dr. Horace Welch, of Hudson, identified 
the body by peculiar workmanship on the teeth. Cowell was convicted, and was ex- 
ecuted July itli, 1865. 

As soon as it was foimd that Trcnidwell was dead, the creditors petitioned foii 
probate of his estate, and letters of administration were granted to Chauncey Lu. 
Treadwell, of Wheatland. Suits were brought against Hester to recover the money,, 
and after considerable delay a large sum was recovered. The creditors had paid tW'O 
assessments to carry on the prosecution, and hoped to realize at least a portion of their- 
claims out of the proceeds of the judgment; but so great were the expenses of the 
trial, and the amount claimed by attorneys so large, that, aside from the return of the 
amounts jiaid on assessments, they realized nothing. 

ORGANIZATIONS.— CHURCHES. 

(.'ongi!i:gatioxai,ist.— In a former section it was stated that early in 1886 a Pres- 
byterian church was organizeil at the house of Alpheus Pratt, in I'ittsford. The Rev. 
David Pratt became pastor of that church in June following, which relation existed two 
years. The Rev. D. R. Dixon succeeded to the pastorate soon after. During Mr. Pratt's 
l)astorate the name of the church had been changed from the "Presbyterian Churclv 
of Bean Creek" to the "Presbyterian Church of Hudson and Pittsford," and now, on 
the seventh day of May, 18;-]9, it was resolved that the First Presbyterian Church of 
Hudson and Pittsford be organized into a Congregational church, to be called the 
Congregational Church of Hudson and Pittsford. Salmon Trask, Elijah B. Seeley 
and Nelson R. Rowley were elected deacons. At a church meeting held on the first 
day of May, 1841, it was ordered that the church of Hudson and Pittsford should 
thereafter be known as the First Congregational Church of Hudson. 

Some time in 1841 the Rev. J. W. Pierce became pastor of the church, and that rela- 
tion existed until the summer of 1844. During that year large accessions were made 
to the church membership from the arrival of Presbyterians and Congregation- 
alists in the community. Samuel Van Fleet, Abram, Mary L., William R. and Ruloff 



t84 THE BEAN CREEK VAI.LEY. 



*Leon;ird, Edmund and Euniee Childs, Barbara, Jacob and Mary Robbins, Noble, 
isusannali, Harriot N. and Sarali B. Sqnier, Benjamin and Sarah Bevier, and Ezekiel 
and Sarah Lowe were received by letter. 

The sjn-ing of 1842 was a season ot revival influence, and on the lOtli day of April 
Andrew Wade and wife, Oreu Whitniore, Warren M. Colgrove, Mrs. A. W. Childs, 
Miss Mary O. Loomis and Miss Jane Keith were admitted to church membership on 
•profession of faith, and Lemuel Squier and Julia Bovee were received by letter. On 
the '^th day of April Messrs. Trask, Seeley and Rowley were re-elcetfd deacons. 

At a church meeting held at the school house in Kecnc. (InisloiilitT, K!;z;ii>eth and 
Jane Clement, Barbara and Mary Robbins, Taniar F. D(ui;,-his, Loui>;i (oiwell, Mar- 
garet Wilcox and Nelson R. Rowley were dismissed and recoinnieiidcd to the church 
4n Wheatland. 

On the 20th day of June, 1843, the church dissoh ed its conjiection v/ith Uie Presby- 
tery, and soon after muted with tlie Jackson Association of ('(inyifMliiiDal churches. 

Early in the spring of 1844 the Rev. Isaac Crabb, a Presbyterian lUr^:, .ikui, Ijecame 
•the pastor of the church. At a chirrch meeting held June 32d, a (lisiingiiislu d n.em- 
ber was presented for gathering sap on Sunday. The church took no action in tliat 
;particular case, but adopted the following resolutions: "1. In tlie opinimi of this 
church it is a violation of the fourth commandment to travel on tlic Sabbath, and we 
caution our brethren and sisters against starting on a journey, or arriving; at their 
place of destination, or returning home on tl\e Sabbath. 2. It is a violati(;u of the 
fourth commandment to work in harvest or haying on the Sabbatli, anrl wc cautioa 
our members to beware of any temptation tliat may arise to gather graiii or bay on' 
•that day. 3. That it is not a work of necessity to gather sap on the Sabbath in any 
case whatever." 

The pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Crabb terminated on the first day of April, 1845, and 
'lie was succeeded by the Rev. Robert Laird. During the winter several members of 
•the Congregational church, without taking letters of dismissal from it, had proceeded 
Ao organize a Presbyterian church. On the sixth day of April the Congregational 
«)rethren, in chtirch meeting assembled, appointed a committee to labor Avith the of- 
fending members, and if they did not return to report them to the Presbytery. 

At some point of time the church had dissolved its connection with the Jackson 
Association and united with the Monroe Presbytery, and June 1st, 184o, Jesse Smith 
was elected a delegate to the Presbytery to be lield at Clinton on the third day of that 
-imonth. 

In February, 1846, Messrs. Seeley, Trask and Avery were elected deacons. 

The winter of 1845-G was a great revival season in Hudson. The Rev. Mr. Laird 
conducted the meetings on the part of this church. As a result of the winter's cam- 
paign against sin, Samuel and Lucy Day, Myndert Bovee, Bradley Loomis, William 
and Julia Ann Smith, Julia Ann Kelley, Lorenzo Smith, Henry Ooodrich, Susan A. 
"Trask, Mary Sample, James Bevier, and Anna Maria Lane were admitted to member- 
ship on probation. 

In the spring of 1847 a church building was commenced, and it was completed and 
-Nfledicated early in the spring of 1848. In September, 1848, the labors of the Rev. Mr. 
Xaird terminated, and the pastorate remained vacant until the following May, except 
■occasional services by visiting clergymen, yet the church maintained its services by 
prayer and conference. The church sent a delegate this year to the Jackson Associa- 
tion and also one to the Presbytery. ^Ir. Jesse Smith represented the church at the 
first, and Abiel Coburn at the other. 

May 21st, 1849, the Rev. John W. Bayues, a Presbyterian clergyman, became pastor 
of the church. The call was in these words: "That this chm-ch and society will 
give the Rev. J. W. Baynes a call to become our pastor, for the sum of four hundred 
dollars a year so long as said connection shall exist between him and us, in hopes ere 
long to afford him a more ample support." Modern clergymen would consider them- 
selves on short allowance with such a salary, but Mr. Baynes preached as often, and 



HUDSON. 85 



ia labors was as abundant as any who receive ample salaries. He remained in the 
pastorate of the church until 1854, and was in all respects a model pastor. At » 
church meeting held this summer, (1849), the following resolution was adopted: 

Resolved, That for the purpose of meeting the views of those fellow-christians of 
the Presbyterian order who may hereafter unite with this church, should any case 
of discipline arise in which they may be personally concerned, the book of discipline' 
in use by the Presbyterian church in the United States may be taken as the rule 
and guide, if a majority of the persons interested shall prefer it, the standn> 
committee of this church being in lieu of the session of a Presbyterian church, it 
being clearly understood, however, that this resolution shall never be construed a» 
affecting, in the least degree, the general order and discipline of this church in its 
organization as a Congregational church. 

On the 16th day of October, 1&50, the Rev. J. W. Baynes was installed pastor of the 
First Congregational church, by the Monroe Presbytery. The Rev. J. B. Taylor, 
Moderator, presided. Rev. W. Cockran read the Scriptures. Rev. "\V. Watson offered 
prayer. Rev. H. H. Northup preached from Acts xx : 31. The Moderator proposed! 
tlie constitutional questions. Rev. G. C. Curtis offered the installation prayer. Rev. 
J. Monteith addressed the pastor, and Rev. J. B. Taylor the congregation. Benedic- 
tion by the pastor. 

At the meeting for the election of officers, in 18.53, pending the election of deacons, 
tlie question of the eligibility of females to vote was raised, aud the pastor, says the 
record, took occasion to state his views on the subject, showing that such a course 
would be contrary, not only to tlie usual manner of doing such business in this church 
heretofore, but also at variance with the usage of Congregational churches in both 
Old England and New England, that it would be subversive of order, and might lead 
to other disorders ; and especially that it w as directly contrary to the teachings of the 
Word of God as contained in 1 Cor. xiv : 34, 35. and 1 Tim. ii : 11, 13. Notwithstanding 
the expressed views of the pastor, the church decided, by a vot* of eight to five, to 
allows females to vote,— against which decision the pastor and Mr. Jesse Smith pro- 
tested. 

At a meeting of the church held on the 16th day of March, 1853, they voted "that 
this cliurch withdraw from the Monroe Presbytery, and that our pastor be instructed 
to ask for a letter of dismission at the next regular meeting of the Presbytery." 

At a churcli meeting held March loth, 1854,— the last at which Rev. Mr. Baynes pre- 
sided,— delegates were elected to the Southern Michigan Association, with instructions 
to ask the admission of this church into said association. Since the commencement 
of Mr. Baynes' pastorate, thirty-seven persons had united with the church on profes- 
sion of faitli, and nineteen by letter; seven had been dismissed by letter, and two 
excommunicated. One of the oldest members had died— Deacon Salmon Trask. 
Among those who united with the church during that period, w^e discover the name* 
of many of the most prominent and active members of the church at the present time^ 
viz: Aug-ustus Kent, Hon. J. K. Boies, L. P.Whitney, and Deacon S. B. Pease> 
The church was temporarily supplied until November, 1854, when the Rev. Atwater 
became its pastor. 

At a church meeting held February 30th, 1856, a committee was appointed to ascer- 
tain what articles of faith have been adopted by this church for their use ; also to 
prepare and recommend for adoption by the church a set of articles and covenant; 
also a set of rules and declaration for the regulation of the church, and to prepare a 
history of the church, all of which, together with a catalogue of the members, to be 
printed in a manual for the use of the church. Moses Hume, Samuel B. Pease aud 
A. L. Hill were such committee. The committee reported March 19th articles of 
faith, a covenant, and rules of discipline. The covenant was adopted, it "being the 
one adopted by the Monroe Presbytery." The articles of faith reported "were those 
which were adopted by the Monroe Presbytery in 1856," but action on them, as welJ 
as on the rules of discipline, was defeiTcd. At an adjourned meeting, held March- 
26th, the rules of discipline were adopted. Pending the consideration of the articles 
of faith, it was moved to "amend article eightli so as it shall read after the Lord's. 



m THE BE^VN CREEK VALLEY. 



Slipper, 'and that it is the privilege of believers to dedicate their children to God in 
baptism,' which was passed." But on the adoption of the articles as amended, the 
vote being taken by ballot, the vote was averse. A vote was then taken by ballot on 
the motion to rescind the vote by which the eighth article was amended, and it was 
rescinded. The articles as reported (those of the Monroe Presbytery) were adopted 
iby a vote of twelve to two. "The committee were continued, after Messrs. E. B. 
Seeley, Jesse Smith and B, II. Lane had been added, with instructions to prepare a 
list of members and some historical facts for the new manual, and have it printed. 

At the meeting of May 31st, A. L. Hill was appointed a delegate to the General 
Association of JMichigan; also to a council to convene at Jackson to install the Rev. 
Mr. Mahan pastor of that church. Mrs. Hannah Van Akin was granted a letter of 
•dismission, for the purpose of uniting with the First Presbyterian Church of Hudson. 
June 18th, E. B. .Seeloy was elected a delegate to a council at Adrian for installation 
services. September ITtli, D. H. Sjieucer and Augustus Kent were elected delegates 
to the Southern JMieliigan Association. 

The annual church meeting for 1S57 was not held ; but at a monthly meeting, 
convened April od. after preparatory lecture, the manual counnittee reported that 
document prepared, and Messrs. Hume, Pease and Hill were appointed to see it proi>- 
erly printed. April 1.5th, Deacon Seeley and D. H. Spencer were chosen delegates to 
the Southern Michigan As,sociation, and May 20th J. L. Taylor was elected delegate 
to the General Association of Michigan. July 5th Mrs. Deline, and Ed; M. Hulburd 
and his wife Helen were admitted to membership by letter. September 10th the Rev. 
W. W. Atwater and wife wpre dismissed by letter, and January 3d, 18.58, Mrs. Maggie 
Adams was received Ijy letter. 

At the annual meeting of tlie church, held January 2011i, 18.58, D. H. Spencer was 
<'.hosen clerk. ^ 

This brings the history of the church down to comparatively modern times. The 
liistory of the church during the succeeding eighteen years ought not yet be w^-itten 
in detail, nor can its doings yet be criticised impartially. Suffice it to say that during 
tliat periotl the chunli hiis experienced some of her greatest triumphs and deepest 
sorrows. During tluit ]ieriod the old church property has been sold and a splendid 
new editice erected and dedicated to the service of Almighty God, and scores of souls 
iJiave professed saving faith and been admitted through her doors into the church 
anilitant. During the same period many of its most useful members have been dis- 
missed to the church triumphant, some of whom participated in the organization of 
tthe first church in Hudson. We recall the names of A. L. Hill, Mrs. Simeon Van 
Akin, Mrs. John K. Boies, Deacon John L. Taylor, Phillip Beasom, Elijah B. Seeley, 
Francis B. Beasom and wife. 

Methodist Ei'IScotai-.— On Sunday, the 8th day of November, 1835, the Rev. 
Wi'.liam E. Warner, from Lewiston, New York, arrived and settled with his family 
en the farm on the Medina side of the township line, directly opposite the residence 
■of James Gahagan. On the next Sunday, Novend)er 15th, he preached in Noah 
Cressey's log house, and organized a class of sixteen members, with Lorenzo L. 
Brown for leader, to whom he preached regularly, and also traveled largely through 
fthe surrounding country. But as Mr. Warner was only a local preacher, and as yet 
in no way connected with the work in this State, his action w^as only temporary and 
preliminary to a regular organization of the work. Tecumseh circuit was the nearest 
organized work, and the Adrian appointment was the nearest approach to the Bean 
Creek Country. Mr. William Rhodes (afterwards the Rev. William Rhodes) then 
lived on the Stubly farm in Rollin. He and his wife, both Methodists, attended a 
quarterly nieetiiig sdiviewhere on the Teciunsch circuit, and invited the preachers of 
that circuit to visit the Bean Creek Country. The Rev. Washington Jack.son, then 
the junior preacher on that circuit, and the Rev. Allen Staples, a local preacher of the 
Adrian appointuieiit. made siuh visitation in August, 183G, on their way to the con- 



HUDSON. 87 

fereiico at IMauinee. They held a two days meeting hi Ames' barn in Keeue. Mr. 
Eldad Tinmbull, of Pittsford, has on his diary a memorandum of attending quarterly 
meeting in Ames' barn, August 14th and 15th, 1836. lie neglected to mention the 
preachers' names, but no doubt it was the occasion of the visit of Jackson and 
staples. They proceeded down the valley of the Bean, in-eaching at Brown's, at 
Foster's (Tifliu), at Alvah Holt's, Seneca, and so on down the valley to Maumee. 

At that conference the Bean Creek mission was formed, and Lorenzo Davis ap- 
pointed missionary. Its boundaries are not defined, but something of an idea of the 
field may be formed by looking at its surroundings. Tecumseh was the nearest ap- 
pointment on the east. Coldwater on the west. Spring Arbor on the north, and on the 
soutli it had no boundary— the missionary traveled through Medina to Morenci, and 
across tlie border into Ohio. It was a pretty extensive territory for one man to travel 
over, and that almost an unbroken wilderness. 

It does not appear where the mission heatlquai-ters was, but no doubt it was in the 
saddle. Tliere was no appointment in the village of Lanesville. It had scarcely be- 
gan to be. He had one appointment at Keene and another in the Brown settlement. 
At the latter place the preaching was alternately at the houses of Father Elisha 
Brown. IS^oah Cressey and Michael Dillon. Mr. Dillon was then a communicant of 
the chm'ch of Rome, but his wife was a ^Methodist, and he opened Ids house for Meth- 
odist preaching. 

The first quarterly meeting of the mission was appointed to be held in the Brown 
neighborhood, on New Year's day, 1837. TJie presiding elder of the district, the Rev. 
Henry Colclazer, was unable to be present, and as the missionary was in his second 
year, and consequently unordained, the Rev. Father Foote, a local elder, preached on 
Sunday and administered the sacrament of the church. The next quarterly meeting 
was held in the Keene neighborhood July 15th and ICth, and the Sunday services 
svere held in Mr. Ames' barn. Capt. Brown tells of going with his class to attend the 
meeting, in a lumber wagon drawn by an ox team, and behig (luartered at the farm of 
Father Alpheus Pratt. 

Mr. Davis served his large mission as well as it^ extent permitted, and at the con- 
ference of 18.37 was succeeded by John Scotford and Allen Staples. Mr. Staples liad 
been received the year previous from the Adrian appointment of the Tecumseh cir- 
cuit, and appointed to Salem. Mr. Scotford was received on trial at this conference 
(1837), and although a year the junior of Mr. Staples, was placed in charge of the 
mission. Mr. Scotford moved into a house situated, as near as can be remembered, 
on the farm now owned by Clark Ames. At the time of Mr. Scotford's arrival, ilr. 
and Mrs. Carleton, John and Sabra Griswold, Mrs. Champlin and Mrs. Ann Cobb, all 
Methodists, were living in and around Lanesville. 

In the winter following, Mr. Augustus Finney brought his wife from Vermont, 
and soon after her arrival it was determined to organize a class in Lanesville. Mr. 
Finney, then keeping the pioneer hotel of the future Hudson, near where the Friend, 
bakery now stands, threw open his house for the sRirvices, and on the night appointed, 
the boys, with flaming torches of hickory bark, proceeded to the house of Mr. Scot- 
ford and escorted him to the village, where he preached and organized the above 
mentioned persons— viz: Mr. and 3Irs. Carleton, Mr. and Mrs. Griswold, Mrs. Champ- 
lin, Mrs. Cobb and Mrs. Finney,— and Sabra Ann, daughter of Mr. Griswold, (now 
Mrs. N. O. Cady,) who had been baptized and admitted to the church at Keene, and 
perhaps a few others, into a class, with John H. Carleton for leader. The only sur- 
viving members of this nucleus of Hudson vilhige Methodism are Mrs. Carleton and 
]\Irs. Cady. 

At the conference of 1838, held at Tiffni, O., Bean Creek mission was erected into 
Jonesville circuit, and attached to the Marshall district, E. II. Pilcher, presiding 
elder; Peter Sabin and Zebulon C. Brown, circuit preachers. So far as any informa- 
tion can be obtained from the published minutes of that year, the boundaries of the 
Jonesville circuit were co-extensive witli the boundaries of the old Bean Creek 



THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



mission. We have been unable to learn of any incidents occurring that year in the 
liistory of the Lanesville class, illustrative of the times. 

At the conference of 1838 Bean Creek mission was reported to have five hundred 
and twenty-seven members, and at tiie Conference of 1839, held at Ann Arbor, Jones- 
vllle circuit was reported to have four hundred and fifty-six members. This year 
John Scotford and Peter Sabin were appointed to Jonesville circuit. These preachers, 
like their predecessors on circuit and mission, saw pretty hard times, both for bodily 
comfort and the facilities for inaugurating denominational work. The settlement 
was new; the people lived in small, incommodious log tenements. Where school 
houses existed at all they were of the same material, but in the village of Lanesville 
there was not even a school house in 1839 and 1840, the old log school house having 
been burned. But these Methodist preachers, on their monthly rounds, preached in 
a log house standing in the vicinity of the gothic house occupied by Mr. Rawson, on 
North Market street. The house had been used as a dwelling. It was the pioneer 
house of the town, the foundations of which were laid by Reuben Davis in 1834. It 
was about twenty feet square, and had a hole about ten feet square underneath for a 
cellar. The floor was made of plank split out of basswood logs, sized on the under side 
where they rested on the sleepers. This split flooring was about ten feet long, and 
met in a continuous joint on the middle sleeper. One Sunday in mid-summer, in 1840,. 
the people had gathered here for divine service, and were calmly listening to the word 
from the lips of the Rev. Mr. Sabin, when all at once the floor gave way in the middle, 
letting the central portion of the audience into the cellar. The preacher, leaning on 
the back of the chair which served him for a pulpit, waited patiently until the people 
had scrambled out, and then proceeded as though nothing had happened. 

At the conference of 1840, held at Marshall, Mr. Scotford was returned to Jonesville 
circuit, now attached to Monroe district, with the Rev. Jonathan Jones for a colleague- 
This year there was a dividing up of religious influence and support, and denomina- 
tionalisra established. The religious condition of the people was somewhat peculiar,. 
The country had recently been settled by people from the East, every one of whom 
had brought with them early religious impressions, and in this sparsely settled 
country, among the part that are religious at all, were to be found adherents of all the 
prominent religious bodies of the East. 

Religious privileges were so rare that all who cared about them at all had hitherto- 
united in sustaining them. In the village of Lanesville and vicinity the Congrega- 
tionalists and Presbyterians were, the more numei'ous; in the social meetings, in the 
Sunday school and in society they carried the sway, and were the ruling power. In- 
deed, so late as 1840 the Methodists of the Lanesville class w^ere completely subject 
to their neighbors, and denominationally without influence. 

About that time some Methodists moved into the community who had not been used 
to wearing the yoke of ecclesiastical inferiority, and l)y earnest effort induced tJie.' 
Methodists to move independently, and very soon, with the help of the Brown class^ 
they had a Sunday school of their own started, and general independence followed. 

No remarkable event marked the last year of the pt sto:ate of the Rev. Scotford,. 
and at the Conference of 1841 Hillsdale circuit was organized, to which Hudson was 
attached, and Revs. Charles Babcock and Gideon J. Shurtliff were assigned to it as. 
preachers. 

In the spring of 1843 Babcock and Shurtliff held a protracted meeting, which 
resulted in the conversion of a large number of quite prominent personages. The 
Rev. Babcock was a fine appearing man, and an impressive preacher. He was ener- 
getic, and fearless in the performance of duty. At one of the inquiry meetings, 
during his protracted meeting, a prominent man, but a backsliding Methodist^ was 
present, and when spoken to in reference to his soul's interest, replied that the church 
was so full of hypocrites he couldn't live a christian life ; and at some length berated 
the members of the church for their ungodly ways. " Brother," said Mr. Babcock m 
reply, " you remind me of the scjuaw who, reeling through the streets of Boston, filled? 



HUDSON, 



with people, exclaimed, ' See, all these people are drunk I' The fact was, she was the 
only drunken person there." His usefulness Avas somewhat impaired, however, by 
his performances as a phrenologist. Phrenologici^ teachings were then quite novel, 
and it was the subject most talked about in mixed gatherings. Mr. Baboock believed 
In the theories of phrenology, and believing it, gave it a prominent place in his 
thoughts, and discoursed it everywhere. Standing of an evening in a village store 
and talking phrenology and examining heads, is not the most effective way to preach 
the gospel. But he was an enthusiast in all his convictions, and for him to conceal 
them, or refrain from discussing thoni with unbelievers, was impossible, and so his 
influence became impaired. The fc^Uowing incident shows the fearlessness of the 
man, and his honesty of expression when it became necessary for liim to say any- 
thing. Discussing phrenology in the village store one day, a man named DeForest— 
suspected of dishonesty, but a stranger to Babcock— said : "Feci of my head." 
Baboock passed his hand carelessly over his head, and kept on talking to the others 
with whom he had been conversing. Pretty soon DeForest said, "What do you think 
of my head I" Babcock said nothing in reply, appearing not to have heard the ques- 
tion. Waiting a little while, DeForest again said, " What do you think of my head?' 
'• I think," said Babcock, " you can hide as well as you can steal." DeForest never 
became an enthusiastic believer in phrenology. 

Mr. Shurtliff, on the other hand, was a man of abundant sympathy— kind in manner, 
eloquent in expression, and apparently absorbed in the ministry, making it the 
one business of his life, and, to all appearance, possessing great piety ; he was beloved 
])y all, and almost idolized by the young people of the community. 

The annual distribution of work made by the Conference of 1842, returned Mr. 
Shurtliff to Hillsdale Circuit, with tl;e Rev. Washington Jackson in charge. The 
arrangement of the work brought Mr. Shurtliff to Hudson first. After the sermon, 
he, of course, remarked on the fact of his having been returned to this circuit, and 
proceeded to introduce his colleague. Said lie, " You must not forui a hasty opinion 
of him at first sight, for you will find him as the old Dutchman found his horse— like 
a singed eat, better than he looks !" The magnates of the class were disposed to find 
fault with what they thought an undignified and un-miuister-like style of introduc- 
tion; but when the senior came here, they revised their opinion of the improbabihty 
of his portraiture being correct, if it was undignified. The Kev. Washington Jack- 
son was, probably, the homeliest man that ever graced the pulpit of the Michigan 
Conference. Externally, he presented an uncouth appearance in, as well as out of, 
the pulpit: and. to add to his misfortunes, he had no roof to his mouth, which ren- 
dered articulation difficult. He was a christian, however, and a faithful christian 
minister. His piety was of the substantial rather than the showy kind, and he com- 
manded the respect of all with whom he became well acquainted. He located in 1845, 
and long since fell asleep, no doubt with a rational and blessed expectation of awaking 
in the likeness of his Divine Master. 

It has been st{.ted in a former part of this work that the west side school house had 
been embellished with a porch and tower, at the expense of the Congregational people. 
Soon after it was done, the Rov. Mr. Babcock, then in charge of the Jtlethodist work, 
asserted his right to use it half the time, and during his stay had held it by a display 
of cheek; but in the fall of 1842 the right of the Methodists to its use was disputed by 
the Congregationalists, and a series of adjourned school meetings were held to deter- 
mine the matter, but the district voted that the two denominations should divide the 
time. 

In a few weeks they were occupying it on alternate Sundays, and since then but 
little has occurred to disturb the good feeling between those large and influential 
vhurches. During the nextsummer, however, a little incident occurred which created 
a little ill-feeling for a short time. The incident was trivial in itself, and only shows 
how much strife a very little fire kindletli, especially when persons are on the watch 
for offenses. Mr. Shurtliff was as kind-hearted a man as ever lived— a true christian 



00 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

ijentleman, who generally was careful of the feelings of others, and scarce ever in- 
jured tlieni by any words of his. He was preaching one day to a mixed congregation, 
and while elucidating a point of his subject, he said he was reminded of the prayer of 
an old Presbyterian elder: " Oh, LoM, bless me and my wife, my son John and his 
wife— us four and no more ; amen.*' No sooner were the words out of his mouth, 
tlian some of the Presbyterian portion of the congregation, deeply offended, started 
for the door, and left the preacher to get along without their presence. One old lady 
said she had often heard the story told of an old man, but no one had ever before 
intimated that he was a Presbyterian elder. 

When, a year and a half later, Mr. JShurtliff became insane, tiiese inopportinie 
speeches were attributed to an insane predisposition, rather than to a desire to wound 
the feelings of others. 

At the Conference of 1843 Mr. Jackson was retiniieil. \\\t\\ Adam Minnis for junior. 
The Ptev. Mr. JNIinnis became a resident of Hudson. Althuugh junior preacher, he had 
had considerable experience in the ministry. He was first '• admitted on trial " at the 
Conference held at Tiffin, ()l)io, in the fall of 1838, and stationed at Detiance. in the 
Maumee District. In subscijueiit years he had preached at Plymouth. Dexter. Dear- 
bornville, and Drooklyn. At the Conference of 1842 he was ordained Elder, and 
stationed (m the newly-made Medina Circuit, in charge. As a jireacher, Mr. Minnis was 
exegetical rather than declamatory. His sermons were a series of premises traced to 
their logical conclusions; or known etTects traced to their logical and inevitable 
causes, rather than a declamation brilliantly studded with sparkling ideas, startling 
phrases, and impassioned appeals. Mr. Minnis was a very quiet man, never in any 
manner lowering the dignity which hfcaiiu' his ministerial position; yet he immense- 
ly loved, and could quite easily lend hiui';f>lf to aid the perpretration of an innocent 
joke. 

To illustrate this point, also to show how bigoti-y will sometimes over-reach itself, 
the following story is given as it was related to the author several years since: The 
minister appointed to the Morenci Circuit in 18.5.5, early in 1^56 vacated his pastorate, 
and the Presiding Elder of the District directed the Rev. John Crabbs, a local deacon 
living at Morenci, and anotlier local ])reacher, to till the appointments for the remain- 
der of the year. The Rev. Crabbs is a Free Mason, and quite a large faction of the 
church at Morenci refused to hear him jtreach. During that summer ^Ir. Mimns, who 
had become a photograjih artist, stopjied at ISIorenci, and there in-osecuted his busi- 
ness. The malcontents had known him as the preacher in chargi> of Medina Circuit, 
and immediately they solicited him to preach for them at the Wilson Crfive school 
house, just out of Morenci, the day and hour Crabbs was to jireacli at the church iji 
Morenci, which, after conference with Mr. Crabbs, he consented to do. Regularly on 
Crabbs' preaching day these devoted Methodists wended their way to the Wilson 
school house and listened to the ministration of the word, prepared especially for them 
by the Rev. ISIiunis. In preaching ability there was not much difference between the 
two men, but there was a ditference, of which his hearers were ignorant, but which 
the ministers could fully appreciate; Crabbs was a 3f aster, but Minnis was a J?oj/a? 
Arch Mason. The Rev. Minnis remained on the Hillsdale Circuit two jears— the last 
year in charge, with Robert Dubois as junior. 

In the fall of 1845, William P. Judd and Thomas Seeley were appointed to Hillsdale 
Circuit. They only remained one year, but it was a year of revival influence in 
Hudson. 

At the Annual Conference of 184ti, the town.sliips of Adams, Wheatland, Rollin. 
Hudson and Pittsford were set off from the Hillsdale Circuit and called Hudson Cir- 
cuit, and Revs. Henry Worthington and Robert Bird were appointed to the new work. 
The first Quarterly Meeting was held in the North Wheatland church on the 5th day 
of December. 184(>— ]iresent, Josiah Brakeman, presiding elder; Henry Worthington 
and Robert Bird, circuit preachers; Barber M. Sheldon, local preacher; L. D. Welton 
and Hiram Haynes, exhorters; Lorenzo Dobson, Harley Bump. Nathan Whitney and 



HUDSON. 91 



A. S. Wells, leaders. W. II. II. Van Akin, William B. Foote, Charles Cannichael. 
David B. Tuttle, Gaylord G. Tabor, Wm. Brooks and David Strunk were appointed 
stewards; W. B. Foote was elected recording steward, and W. H. H. YanAkin dis- 
trict steward; Augustns Thomas and the two circuit preachers were appointed 
a camp meeting committee. 

There was little of interest transpired under the pastorate of Worthington and 
Bird, or their successors, Joseph Jennings and Hiram Koberts. The year these last 
were in charge of the circuit, 1847, the church in Hudson was almost rent asunder by 
•a controversy which arose in consequence of Mr. Roberts joining the Odd Fellows. 
John H. Carleton led the anti-secret society raid, and the preacher in charge sympa- 
thized with it, and altogether poor Koberts had a hard time. Jennings was a fair 
preacher, but his wife sickened and died that year, the affliction taking him from his 
work much of the time. The persecution of Roberts rendered him powerless for good, 
and altogether the church not only made no advancement, but rather retrograded. 

The next year, 1848, Worthington was returned to Hudson, but he was unable to 
.■arouse the church to action. 

In the fall of 1849 Ebenezer Steele and Isaac Taylor were appointed to the Hudson 
circuit. They were men of earnest piety, and although neither of them were great 
preachers, they succeeded in arousing the church, and there was considerable revival 
spirit manifested. They agitated the question of church building, and got the frame 
up and covered. 

At the Conference of 1850 Mr. Steele was returned alone. He pressed the churcli 
building along, and succeeded in having it dedicated during his pastorate. 

During 1851-2 William Mothersill was in charge of the work, and made it but little 
progress. 

The Rev. Henry Penfield came in 18.5.". He was by odds the most intellectual 
preacher that up to that time had been sent to the church, and if he had no revival, 
-those already attendants had the pleasure of listening to sound sermons, intellectually 
and theologically. 

The Rev. Harrison Morgan succeeded Penfield in 18o4. During the first part of his 
pastorate the Rev. Mr. Adams, an evangelist, came here and held a series of meet- 
ings, and large accessions were made to the church. In the latter part of»the year 
-another attempt was made at anti-secret society persecution, again led by Mr. Carle- 
ton. Mr, Morgan deemed it his privilege to join the Masonic lodge, and Carleton at 
<mce declared war. But Morgan was not as easily persecuted as Roberts liad been. 
He assumed the offensive, and pressed the anti-secret society men to the wall, (^uitc 
a large party secretly sjTnpathized with Mr. Carleton, but seeing the determined atti- 
tude of their preacher, they quietly left the more valiant Carleton to fight it out alone. 
■Carleton left the church, and the Conference sent Morgan to Coldwater the next year, 
but this was the last attempt at anti-Masonic persecution in the IMethodist church of 
Hudson. For nearly half the time since 18.54 their pulpit has been filled by Masons; 
some of them have been popular, and all have been useful. 

In the fall of 1855 the Rev. Fred W. Warren came to the Hudson church, and 
remained two years. They were prosperous years spiritually, but in the month of 
January, 18.57, the church building was burned. It was on Sunday ; the morning ser- 
vice was ended and the Sunday school commenced when the cry of fire was raised. 
In one short hour the sanctuary was destroyed—" burned with fire." The remainder 
of that year was consumed in getting material for a new house. 

The next year, 18.57, the Rev. C. M. Anderson came, and the house was commenced ; 
but like the Samaritan of old, he hindered the work, so at the Conference of 1858 he 
was sent elsewhere, and the Rev. A. R. Bartlett came to the church at Hudson. He 
remained two years. Under his pastorate the new house was finished and dedicated. 
In the fall of 1860 he was succeeded by the Rev. John A. Baughman. 

We shall leave the history of the Methodist Episcopal church for the succeeding 
■sixteen years luiwritte-n, save to give a list of pastors, and to state that during the first 



92 THE BEAN CREEK TALLEY. 



year of the pastorate of the Rev. Thomas .Stalker the church was enlarged and im- 
proved. 

Pastms.— John H, Burnliam, William G. Stonex, E. K. Haskill, Thomas Stalker, 
William E. Bigelow, Richard R. Richards, Daniel C. Jacokes, and Joseph Frazer. 

TuE Baptists.— On the eighth day of July, 1843, the following named persons met 
and organized themselves into a church, viz: Samuel R. Close, Charles Coats, Ansel 
Coats, M. S. Lathvop, Daniel Saulsbury, John C. Lewis, Abiathar Powers, Melinda 
Close, Harriet Lewis and Emily Lathrop. Their action was recorded in the following 
form; "We, the undersigned, liaving letters of dismission and recommendation 
from sister churches of our faith and order, do hereby resolve to hand in our letters, 
and unite ourselves together for the purpose of forming a Baptist church of Christ in 
Hudson, to be known as the Baptist Church of Christ in Hudson, to receive members,, 
either by baptism or by letter, and to do and transact any business, in obedience to 
the Gospel and according to law, in such case made and provided. 

'^Resolved, That we adopt tlie declnnitinii of faith and church covenant, recom- 
mended by the Baptist State CoHVciitiou of Michiga)!. Octoljt-r Bth, A, D. 1842.." 

On Wednesd:i,y, the ;271h day of Septemlter. 1x4:!, a council, composed of delegates 
fi-om the churohes of Wheatland, Pittsford, ]>over, ]\[edina and Adrian, convened in 
the village of Hudson to constitute the new church. Abiathar Powers represented 
the new cliurcli in the co\nicil. 

On (he 14th day of iM-liruary, 184-1, th«' church called the Rev. Jacob Ambler to the 
pastorate for one year. ]\Iay 19th the church appointed the Rev. Mr. Ambler, M. S. 
Latlirop and Abiathar Powers delegates to set in couiicii witJi the Jonesville church, 
tor the purpose of f)i-rliuning their pastor. 

On the 10th day of Jnne,'is.i5. the chmvh .■;.!!, 'i! tlic K.'v. Lauren Hotchkiss to the 
l)astorate " for tlie ensuing yi^ar. oiic-li:ilt ot the time." On the 14th day of March, 
Samuel Eddy. Sauniel R. Cjos.'. A. Coat.s. A. W^ulNWortii, Wm. Ames and Abiathar 
Powcr.'^. were ajipointed to mci't tlie Dover church in council, for the purpose of or- 
• hiiiiiug Mr. Pa(>k to the ministry. The same day they extended a call to Mr. Pack to 
become tlicir pastor. August 7th. 1S47, the church invited Peter Houghwout to preach 
to tiu^ui one year from the lirst of October. Mr. Hougliwout was at that time a stu- 
dent, and resided in ^lediua. 

In the summer ami fall of LSIT, the churcli sni"ce(;detl in iiutting uit and covering 
the frame of a cluurli Imilding, and in the winter of 1817 s they tinislied it. It stood, 
about where AV'illiaiii 15. Ames' store now i-*. 

February "d. is4s, tbe church met and passeil the following resolutions: 

Rcsolrcfl. 'I'liat 1'. B. Houghwout is well (juaiified to preach the gospel, and we 
dcsirt' to ,-.(•(■ him fully set apart to tht- work ol tlie ministry; therefore 

n,siiJi\i}. Tliat we will call a council to determine the qualilications of P. B. 
Hon';h\vout. and for the i)uriH)sc of ordination. 

\]y a voti- of the meeting the following churches were invited: 1st and 2d RoUin, 
Whcailaiid. -id HiMiic. Mclina. Dover, Medina and Wright, Adrian, Fairfield and Sen- 
t ca. It \\a^ a!-.!) determined to dedieat(^the church on the 2:;d day of that month, and 
that the ordination council convene on the 24th. 

The house was dedicated on Wednesday, the 2."d day of February, 1848, Elder 
Tucker, of Adrian, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The Baptists had the first ded- 
icated house of worship in Hudson. For some reason, Mr. Iloughwort was not 
ordained on the day designated. On the 10th day of June the church called Peter B. 
Houghwout to the ])astorate, and fixed his salary at three hundred and twenty-five 
<lollars. At a church meeting held Sunday, April 22d, 1S49, it was resolved to call a 
council for the ordinatian of Peter B. Houghwout on Tuesday, the 15th day of May 
next, and churches were invited as follows : Medina, Wright, Wright and Medina,. 
Wheatland, 1st and 2d Rollin, 2d Rome, Adrian, Clinton, and Dover. Samuel R. Close^ 
Samuel Eddy and Abiathar Powers were appointed delegates to the council. The 
<>huicli wa^ now vacant from May or June, 1849, to May 19th, 1850, and on the 16th day 



HUDSON. 93 



of September, 1849, it was voted " to invite the Methodists to pi^acli in the Baptist 
house until such time as we get a pastor." Upon this invitation the Methodists occu- 
pied the liouse until they occupied their own house in the spring of 1850. 

May 19th, 1850, Elder Samuel Jones, jr., was called to the pastorate for one year. 
Ou the 36tJi day of October following, twenty-six persons united with the church — 
twenty-five by profession of faith and baptism. On the 2d day of November twelve 
persons were received, and on tlie 9th thirteen persons were received, all by baptism. 

April 27th, 1851, Elder A. P. Howell was called to the pastorate for one year, at a 
salary of three hundred dollars, to conniience on the 18th day of May then next. In 
the month of December, 1851, the church building was consumed by lire. But the 
church were not easily discouraged; they at once set about re-building, and on the 8th 
day of October, 1852, the new house was dedicated, Rev. U. B. Miller preaching the 
dedicatory sermon. Elder Howell was continued in the pastorate a second year. 

In the spring of 1853, the church enjoyed more than usual revival influence, and 
many persons were received into membership. On the 30th day of November, Elder 
Howell tendered his resignation, which was accepted. 

.January 6th, ISM, Elder Volney Chm-ch was called to the pastorate of the church. 
It seems that Elder Church preached on Sundays, but attended to his own business 
on week days. At the close of his first year he was re-engaged on a salary of two hun- 
dred and fifty dollars, he to give one-half of his time to the service of the church. 
Increased labor worked good to the church, for on the 19th day of May following 
seven persons were baptised and received into the fellowship of the chui-ch. 

Some time in the summer of 18.!)6, Elder William Pack became pastor of the church. 
May 18th, 1857, Elder William Pack resigned the pastorate of the church. His resig- 
nation was accepted. 

Late in the summer, or in the fall of 1S57, the llev. Jas. G. Portman became the 
pastor of the church, on a salary of four hundred dollars, and the use of a house for 
residence. The winter of 1857-8 was another revival season for the church, upwards 
of thirty persons miitin,^ with the church on profession of faith. In May, 1858, this 
church had an attack of Masonry, as witness the following resolution : 

Whereas, We believe that all secret societies are inconsistent with the principles 
of the gospel ; therefore 

Re~^olve<l, That we disclaim all church fellowship with such societies, and we affec- 
tionately entreat our brethren to withdraw from and disclaim all such connection, for 
in so uniting and continuing with such societies will bring a grievious burden upon 
the brethren, and cause llie Zion of (iod to mourn, and the hand of fellowship to be 
withdrawn from tlu-m. 

After adopting the above resolution, the church appointed Bros. Wright, Wood and 
Van Epps a conmiittee to labor with a brother accused of being a Free Mason. At jv 
subsequent meeting Brother Wright reported tliat the offending Broliier expressed 
affection for the church, but said l)is liein.u a Mason was none of tiieir business, or 
words to that effect. The church was sousil)le enough to refrain from excommunica- 
tion, but in lieu thereof gave him a letter of dismissal, stating his relation to Masonry. 
But the proceeding seems to have had a bad effect upon Wright anil Van Epps, for 
since then they have become both Odd Fellows and Masons. 

The ministry of the Rev. .J. G. Portman extended through 1858 and until December. 
1859, and was very successful so far as accessions to the church was concerned, until 
about June 1st, 1859, his further usefulness was destroyed by charges preferred against 
him. He was accused of adultery with a young girl— a member of his chiu-ch— and with 
unchristian conduct in his intercourse with the ministers of the other village churches. 
He was tried on the charge of seduction in the Circuit Court, but the jury failed to 
agree. The remainder of the year was occupied with church meetings and councils. 
As is usual in such cases, there were two parties, and the church was well nigh rent 
asunder. The action of the majority toward the minority was severe, and produced 
feelings of resentment that were never effectually healed until the first year of the 
ministry of the Rev. C. T. Chaffee, when the church once more resumed her proper 



;)4 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY , 



work, and was rewarded with more than old time prosperity. The house was found' 
too small for them; it was enlarged and improved, and under his successors— Cresseyv 
Osborn and Shanafelt— it has been marching on to victory. The history of the church 
is dropped with the year 1859, for the same reasons that tlx; modern history of the 
other churches was left unwritten. 

TuE Roman Catholics— Culkcii of the Sacred IIeaht.— Very early in the set- 
tlement of this tov^-nship and Medina, Roman Catholic families formed a part of the 
population, and at quite an early date— just when we have been unable to ascertain — 
a church was built on the line between the two towns, where occasionally the priest 
from Monroe would officiate. 

About the year 1858 or "59 the Rev. Father Van Krp was sent here, and he at once 
set about transferrins- the ohurcli to Hudson. A building was purchased and "fitted, 
up for a church, services were held each iSunday except the last in the month, on 
which day services were held in the ]Medina church. During the ministry of Father 
Van Erp a priest's residence was built, and then a church commenced, and so far fin- 
ished as to be used before his departure. Recently a spire has been added, which 
greatly adds to the beauty of the structure. The parish has increased in numbers, 
initil it has become the largest religious body in the town. 

Othku CiruKCUE8.— At a very early day there was a Baptist church in Dover, 
which has now become one of the Clayton churches, ami is located in this township, 
but we have not the materials at hand for a sketch. 

There were from the beginning a number of persons very restive under Congrega- 
tional rule, and these, being reinforced by several new arrivals, several years ago 
organized a Presbyterian church. They purchased the house built by the Free Will 
Baptists several years since, and refittt'd it. They are not numerous enough, how- 
ever, to maintain worship all the tiuif; indeed, for the most part their pulpit has been 
vacant. 

In 1860 a I'rotolaiit I'-piseopal parish was organized and named 'J^rinity. There wa.s 
but little doni". lio\s k'm-v. until the Rev. Mr. Smjlhe became rector in 18G9, since whicli 
time the parish has been reasonably prosperous. Under the ministry of the Rev~ 
Mr. Welistera church was built and finished, except the tower. But this church 
being one of the modern institutions of the township, does not come within the pur- 
view of this work. 

TILE SCHOOLS OF HUDSON VILLAGE. 

For want ot records ^\c shall not be able to give a full and complete history of the 
schools oi the village of Hudson. The founders of the village took a deep interest m 
the education of the young; schools were established on each side of Tiffin river at 
an early day. The main building on the West Side was erected in 1860, at a cost of 
§6,000. In 1874 the West Side put up a fine branch building with two rooms, north of 
the railroad, at a cost of ••§3,000. The East Side school building was erected in 1862, at 
a cost of about $3,000. By an act of the Legislature in 1866, the East and West Sidt; 
were united and became a chartered school under the appellation of The Fublii 
Schools of the Village of Hudson. After being united for several years, the East 
Side, by a legislative act. was set off from the )ni])lic scliools of the village of Hudson, 
and organized as a graded school under the primary school law. This separation was 
effected May 1st, 1869. In 1873 an effort was made to reunite the schools, but at an 
election held in Jime to decide the matter, it failed by a small majority. Since that 
liine no effort at \inion has been made. The lunuber of children of school ages in the 
West Side district at the time of the last enumeration, was 475. 

Among the early Princiiials of the West Side school, may be mentioned Prof. 
James, now Assistant Suiierintendent of the Clexeland schools. and Prof. Carson, of 



HUDSON. 95 



Hudson, formerly Principal of the Medina Academy. In Octcbar, 1860, Prof. F. B. 
McClelland, now at the head of the Albion Union (school, btca ne Princiral. He re- 
mained in charge until April, is«2, when he took charge of the East Side scliool, 
which position he held until .July 1st, 1867. Rev. C. Van Dorn had charge of the 
school a large part of the time while they were united. }Ie was succeeded by Prof. 
K. G. Reynolds, Jan. 5th, 1867, who held the position until June 33d, 1869. 

Prof. C. D. West, of Blissfield, was the next Principal. He held the position two 
years. Mr. West was succeeded by Capt. C. T. Bateman, former County Superin- 
tendent of Schools for liCwanee county, who took charge of the school Sept. 1, 1873. 
The first class of graduates left this school in June, 1875. The class consisted of Miss 
Ilattie Beach, Miss Clara Boies, Miss Lillie Galusha, Miss Ida Harris, Miss Allie Per- 
kins, and Mr. Edmund Childs. The organization of the School Board, at present, is 
W. F. Day, president; J. M. Scarritt, secretary; R. J. Eaton, treasm-er: J. K. Boies, 
W. J. Mosher, A. Loyster. 

The following extract from the Superintendent's report for the school year of 
1875 and 1876, is given : 

I submit the following brief rejwrt of the condition of the Public Schools of the Vil- 
lage of Hudson, and of tlu; work done in them duilng the past year. 

Number of weeks of school during the year 40 

•* children between the ages of live and twenty in the district 475 

" pupils enrolled 4;>5 

.. foreign jmpils 4;; 

F.nrollment in (Jraminar and High School 127 

•■ Second Inteniiediate .,, ttO 

•• First Intermediate 4,s 

•' Second Primary 4n 

" First Primary 7C, 

•• North Brancli ,', 74 

Number of teachers employed 

The corps of teachers at present consists of Prof. C. T. Bateman, superinten- 
dent and principal; Miss Ezoa Phelps and Mrs. C. E.Richards, assistants in grammar 
and high school. The other assistants are Miss Delia Carpenter, Miss Delia Ilutchins. 
Mrs. Maria L. Graves, Mrs. C. Plympton. Mrs. Anna Chapman and i\f iss A lice Perkins. 

Among the principals of the East Side school since Prof. McClelland left may be 
mentioned Prof. Carson; Prof J. C. Dutton, now in Europe, from September, 1873. to 
June, 1873; Prof. Overholt, September, 1873, to April, 1874; Prof. Luther W. Covell 
from September, 1874, to June, 1876. Prof. Coleman Williams, aided by three associ- 
ate teachers, has charge of the school at present. The scliool officers consist of the 
following named persons: Ira Swaney. director; M. R. Hazlett, moderator; D. Car- 
penter, assessor; B. Wright, J. Van Akin, T. J. Hiller. 

The schools of Hudson have generally been in good hands, and have, been prosper- 
ous to a marked degree. In the management and support of their schools the people 
of Hudson and vicinity have shown prudence, economy and wise generosity, and they 
may well be proud of their schools, which have done and are still doing good work for 
the youth of our community. May the good work of education in our beautiful village 
ever prosper. 

Bknkvom.xt OuiiEits. 

Odd Fki.lows.— In 1847 Hudson Lodgt; No. 26, I. O. O. F., was chartered. It 
worked for a number of years, and then suspended. Subsequently it was resuscitated, 
and has worked prosperously since. A list of its officers has been Inrnished, but as 
rotation in office has been the general rule, a list of Noble Grands, as tlie presiding 
officeris called, only is given, it being premised that the subordinate offices were filled, 
with but few exceptions, by the same men preparatory to the more exalted station. 

Noble Grands.— FaIwri-O. D. Earned, Henry IS[. Boies (two terms), J. B. Tucker. 
Augustus Thomas. Jndson II. ITydi', Beri;di 11. Lane, .Iose]^h M. Johnson. Dr. David 



06 THE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 



P. Chamberlin, John C. Hogaboam, Reuben A. Beach, William W. Morrous, Jesse 
Maxson, Jackson M. Wood, Alexander IL Hall, Jabez J. Daniels, David 11. Stroud, 
Dr. Leonard G. Hall, Edwin M. Hulburd, Henry G. Stevens, I>evi Saulsbury, Dexter 
Gray, Robert B. Piper. William T. B. Schermerhorn, Benjamin Wright, Allen J. 
Skutt, Perry Shumvvay (two terms), Henry G. Frank, John K. Boies, John Weed. 
Hiram Mann, John V. Munger, Gamaliel I. Thompson, William C. Merrell (two 
terms), William R. Weaver, Chester C. I'ease, Lawrence Van Epps, Stephen T. 
Dawes, Charles H. I'utnam, Lawrence E. Halran, John Spaulding, William G. Don- 
aldson (two terms), Marion F. Isbell, C. H. Hubbard, John T. ]\[ann and John R. 
Wirts. The only persons who have held the second ot"fice (Vice Grand) and failed of 
election to the presiding officer's chair because of removal or other causes are the fol- 
lowing: Charles E. Niles, James Lowe, John V. Goodrich, Dr. Thomas B. Minchin. 
Samuel H. Perkins, William Smith and John Butts. 

About ten years ago an Encampment was organized, called Wood Encampment, to 
confer the higher degrees of the order. It has been successful. The Hudson Lodge 
has furnished one Grand Master of Odd Fellows of the State of Michigan— Mr. Dexter 
Gray. 

Free Masonkv.— Li 1848 Morning Star Lodge F. & A. M., commenced work under 
a dispensation, Jesse Maxson, Worshipful Master. The Lodge was chartered at the 
next session of the Grand Lodge and numbered 26, and continued to work imtil 1859. 
It had Worshipful ilasters as follows : IHiS, '49 and '.50, Jesse Maxson ; 1851, Robert 
B. Piper; 1852 and ".5.3, Jesse Maxson ; 1854 to 185fi, Dr. David P. Chamberlin; 1857 
until it suspended, November 7, 18.59, Hamilton W. Grennell. 

On the 21st day t)f November, 1859, Maxson Lodge F. & A. M. commenced work 
under dispensation, Jesse Maxson, Worshipful Master. The lodge was chartered in 
January, 18G0, and given the old number of Morning Star Lodge (26), and it has con- 
tinued in working order since. It has had Worshi]iful Masters as follows: 1859, 
Jesse Maxson; 1860 and '61, Dr. D. P. Chamberlhi; 1862 to '64, David R. Stroud: 
1865, Francis D. Beach; 186(5, David R. Sti-oud; 1867, '(58 and '69, Allen J. Skutt; 1870, 
Jas. J. Hogaboam; 1871, Allen J. Skutt; 1872, '73 and '74, Francis D. Beach; 1875 and 
'76, David R. Stroud. 

On the 24th day of September, 18(5.", Warren Lodge F. & A. M-i commenced work 
under dispensation. Dr. Benjamin J. Tayer, Worshipful Master. Worshipful Mas- 
ters— 1863 and "6-1, Benj. J. Tayer: 1805, Hamilton W. Grennell; 1866 and "67, Edward 
A. Gay; 1868 and '69. Charles Lowe ; 1870. Robert Worden ; 1871, Charles Lowe; 1873 
to '76, I^awrence E. Halran. 

In January, 1863, Hudson Chapter Royal Arch Masons was chartered and numbered 
28, and continued to work until the fall of 1873. High Priests— 1863, '64 and '65, Enos 
Canniff; 1866, Jas. J. Hogaboam ; 1867, Allen J. Skutt; 1868 and '69, Hamilton W. 
Grennell; 1870, Jas. J. Hogaboam; 1871, Allen J. Skutt; 1872 to suspension, David R. 
Stroud. 

In the summer of 1876 Phcenix Chapter R. A. >r commenced work under dispensa- 
tion; John M. Osborn, High Priest. 

A council of Royal and Select Masters commenced work in lSt55, and continued un- 
til the suspension of the Chapter in 1873 deprived it of material. Presiding officers— 
1865, U.D., Jas. B. Pratt; 1865 (after charter), Enos Canniff; 1806, Allen J. Skutt; 
1867 and '68, Chas. H. Putnam ; 1869, Joseph D. Darling; 1870, Allen J. Skutt; 1871. 
Myron M. Maxson ; 1872, Jas. J. Hogaboam. 

OFFCIIAI. RKGISTER- LECilSLATOKS. 

Senators— Henry M. Boies, William Baker and John K, Boies. Representatives. 
John W. Turner, Augustus W. Childs and John K. Boies. County officers— Benj. 
Turner, register of deeds; Andrew C. Mercer, Clement C. Weaver and Seth Bean. 



HUDSON. 97 



prosecnting attorneys ; J as. .J. Ilogaboam and Perry Shumway, circuit court commis- 
sioners. 

Supervisors: iaS6, Simeon Van Alcin ; 1837 and '.38, Augustus Finney; 1839 and '40, 
Henry Tibbetts; 1841, Hiram Kidder; 1842, L. Hutchins; 1843, Simeon Van Akin ; 
1844, Lemuel T. Whitney; 1845, Daniel II. Daniels; 1846, Simeon Vao Akin; 1847, 
Oliver S. Colwell ; 1848 and '49, Silas Eaton ; 1850, Oliver S. Colwell ; 1851, Ben- 
jamin Turner; 1853, Augustus W. Childs; 1853, Lorenzo Palmer; 1854, Enos Canniff ; 
18.55, John Bean; 1856, Lorenzo Palmer; 18.57, John H. Carleton; 1858 and '59, Loren- 
zo L.Brown; 1860 to 186.3, inclusive, Lorenzo Palmer ; 1864, Titus Babcock: 1865 to 
1872, inclusive, Lorenzo Palmer; 1873 to 1876, inclusive, Ira Swaney. 

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

About the year 1859, the Hillsdale and Lenaw^ee Union Agricultural Society was 
organized. It held fairs until 1864. That year it had a rainy season for tlie fair, and 
could not pay its premiums. It died. :. 

THE VILLAGE OF HUDSON. 

Pi.ATs— BoirZsbiy's.— Levi N. Bowlsby, proprietor; acknowledged June 7th, 1813. 

Gibbon's Survey. —Platted by Isaac A. Colvin, Dudley Worden, W. H. Johnson, 
Hiram Osborn, Harrison Lindenbower, E. Conant, Stephen M. Wirts, Erastus Lane, 
J. C. Benedict, E. D. Lamed, Chas. Parrish, Roswell Rose, M. S. Lathrop, W. H. H. 
Van Akin, W. L. Lamed and B. H. Lane, January 33d, 1843. 

Additions— T7/71 Akin's, .South.— Platted March 25th, 1850, by W. H. II. Van 
Akin, W. H. Johnson, Aaron Loomis and Thomas Daniels. 

La jrcr.«— Platted June 3d, 1&55, by Robert Laird. 

irj)t.s'— Old survey, platted September 3d, 1855, by Dr. Stephen M. Wirts. 

Church\s— Platted November 14th, 1855, by Rev. Volney Church. 

(?oo(7?-ic/i's— Platted November 38th, 1855, by Heman R. [Goodrich. 

•fo/nison's— Platted April 5th, 1856, by W. H. Johnson, Wih. B. Ames, Aim B. 
( !obb, Edward Co]>b and Harvey J. Cobb. 

.Tohnso)i and ro7if/f/-'.s— Platted May 5th, 18.58, by W. H. Johnson and John Conger. 

PoM)e7''s— Platted June 8th, 1858, by Dr. Jas. S. Power. 

Van Akuvs, JEasf— Platted by W. H. H. Van Akin, November 5th, 1858. 

IFirts'— New survey, platted November 31st, 1859, by Dr. Stephen M. Wirts. 

Cobb's— Platted July 8d, 1860, by Ann B. Cobb, Edward Cobb, Jas. H. Cobb and 
Susan B. Whitney. 

H. N. /o/wison's-Piatted August 9th, 1860, by Silas Eaton. 

TFilcox's— Platted April 5th, 1864, by Welcome Aldrich. 

The village was incorporated in 1853. The following named persons have filled the 
office of President: Caleb C. Cooley, Henry M. Boies, David P. Chamberlin. 
Stephen A. Eaton, Wm. Baker, Hamilton W. Grennell, Samuel DeGolyer, John J.. 
Beck, Beriah H. Lane, Warren A. Jones, Levi R. Pierson, John K. Boies, Luther C. 
French, Russell M. Gillett, W^illiam A. Whitney, Ira Swaney, Augustus Kent and 
John Bean. 

CLAYTON. 

Platted by Chauncey and Reuben E. Bird, October loth, 1843. 

Additions.— TFoferjnan's— Platted May 5th, 1864. 

Graves and JReed's— Platted May 1st, I8(i5, by Burrit W^. Graves and Jacob Reed. 

Watemiaii's Extension—Platted by D. R. Waterman, February 19th, 1867. 

GratJes'- Platted June 10th, 1871, by Burrit W. and Albert II. Graves. 

Bird's— Platted by Reuben E. Bird, Ainil 14th, 1873. 

The village was incorporated about 1869. 



"98 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



NECROLOGY. 

Coft^— Harvey, May loth, 1843, aged 46 years; Ann B., wife of Harvey, July 24tli, 
4864, aged 53 years; Carroll C, son, Oct. 27th 1854, aged 24 years; Susan B. Whitney, 
>daughter, July 15th, 1863, aged 26 years ; James H., son, Sept. 17th, 1869, aged 3b 
years. 

Firmei/— Augustus, July 19th, 1857, aged 61 years; Huklah Foot, wife, August, 
•1843, aged 55 years; Alfred A., son, Sept. 8th, 1871, agetl .o3 years; Harriet C. Kidder, 
wife of Alfred A., Sept. 5th, 1857, aged 33 years. 

Wirts— Dr. Stephen M., Nov. 1st, 1871, aged G4 years; :Miiry, wife, April 10th 1860. 
aged 46 years. 

Pratfr— Rev. David, March 2Uth, 1845, aged 56 years ; Sarah Smith, daughter, March, 
1856, aged 36 years; Elizabeth A., daughter, Jan, 16th, 1853, aged 19 years; Mary D., 
daughter, June 11th, 1869, aged 34 years ; James B., son, Dec. 13th. 1875, a^ed 51 years ; 
Dolly R., wife of James B., Jan. 8th, 1865. 

T'a/i ^/cm— Lydia, wife of Simeon, July 5th, 1868, aged 63 years; Sarah Amelia 
•Boies, daughter of Ijydia Van Akin, formerly Spear, and wife of Hon. John K. Boies, 
Jan. 2d, 1871, aged 39 years. 

Car^eton— John H., February, 1872, aged 70 years; JNIary Ann Kidder, daughter, 
April 16th, 1861. aged 27 years; Henry, soia, died April, 1865. 

Os?>or ?i— John, April 28th, 1867, aged 78 years; Mercy, wife, July 15th, 1865, aged 72 
years. 

Eaton— SUas, Aug. 20th, 1876, aged 81 years; Constantino C. S., son, Nov. Uth. 
'1848, aged 21 years; Hervey U., son, April 21st, 1852, aged 22 years. 

Johnson— Capt AY . H., Sept. 16th, 1865, aged 48 years; Celinda S. Hathaway, wife, 
June 2d, 1846, aged 25 years. 

Caf7y— Lydia, wife of Nelson O., June 7th, 1851, aged 37 years; Levina, daughter, 
Aug. 12th, 1851, aged 16 years ; Kleber W. died ii^ the army. 

Orisivold— John, April 17th, 1874, aged 86 years; Sabra, wife, April 8th, 1872. 

K^uWer— Hiram, May 11th, 1849, aged 49 years; Julia G., daughter, Nov. Sth, 185<;. 
aged 18 years; Maria J., daughter, Jan. 5th, 1857, aged 2(i years. 

Z,a?ie— Nathaniel, father of B. IL Lane, esq., March 16th, 1844, aged 73 years; Mary. 
6rst wife, Sept 17th, 1839, aged 68 years; Martha, second wife, Maxch 2d, 1871, aged 85 
years ; Phebe, wife of Beriah H., May 22d, 1839, aged 35 years ; Anna Maria, daughter 
of B. H. Lane, March 9th, 18.51, aged 23 years. 

.Po?rncr— Lorenzo, Oct. 17th, 1874, aged 71 years; Ruth Wells, wife, Feb. 25th, 1853, 
aged 50 years. 

Treadwell—W iWiain C, Dec. 27th, 1856, aged 42 years; Eliza, wife, March !22d, 1849. 
aged 29 years. 

TT'ciZs— Thomas, Aug. 17th, 1847, aged 42 years; Helen, daxighter, Sept. 10th, 1847. 

Tras/c— Deacon Salmon, April 22d, 1851, aged 50 years; Zeruiah, wife, Nov. loth, 
»1842, aged 35 years; Susan A., daughter, Sept. 28th, 1850, aged 20 years. 

irorrfc7i— Dudley, March 28th, ia59, aged 54 years; Phebe, wife, Jan. .30th, 1851, 
aged 34 years. 

Straic— Thomas, Dec. 2.5th, 18.55, aged .59 years; Rhoda, wife, Oct. 29th, 1851, aged 
•55 years. 

Orcjttf— Silas, Feb. 19th, 1856, aged 45 years; Clarinda, wife, March 6th, 1855, aged 
41 years. 

TreadweU—Wnna P., wife of Urias Treadwell, Jan. 30tli, 1863, aged 42 years. 

'Colu'clZ— John, April .30th, 1860, aged 57 years. 

Taylor— 3ohn L., Nov. 9th, 1862. aged 60 years. 

ITalt— Nancy K. AVells, wife of Dr. Leonard G. Hail, Oct. 12th, 1853, a^ed 33 years. 

Ualdi<;i?i— Samuel D., Feb. 10th, 1873, aged 62 years. 

Broivnell— John S., Dec. 26th, 1856, aged 37 years. 

Rose— Ira, May 7th, 1875, aged 75 years. 

Ceasom— Philip, Sept. 9th, 1871, aged 68 years; Mary B., wife, Feb. 28th, 1876, aged 



HUDSON.— ROLLIN. 99 



143-ears; Milton, son, died July 13th, 1862, aged 32 jears ; Francis B., son, Jan. fJM. 
1:876, aged 43 years ; Marcia, wife of Francis B., Jan. 31, 1876, aged 40 years, 

Uti8;i— Eli, Oct. 5tli, 1872, aged 66 yeais. 

Jones— Dr. Bela B., March 5th, 18&'). 

Wheeler— Rev. Judson, July 9th, 1855, aged 51 years. 

Pa?7ncr— Hannah, wife of Wray T., April 9th, 1875; Laura M. Tuniei', daughter, 
■And wife of Benjamin Turner, July. 1860, aged 32 years. 

Lcisenring— David, April 18th, 1872, aged 76 years ; Sally, wife, Aug. 31st, 1854, 
H>1 years; Mary, daughter, July, 1852, aged 34 years; Eliza Gibson, daugiiter, Novem- 
ber., 1853, aged 36 years; Jesse B., son, July 10th, 18.>+, aged 32 years; Wm. H, H., 
son, Nov. 19th, 1869, aged 39 years. 

jVitZs— Kandall, May 6tli, 1870, aged 52 years. 

Baker — William, June 5tli, 1870, aged 53 years. 

Fe7ito?i— Horace, April 9th, 1876, aged 71 years. 

Perfcms— Stephen, June 39th, 1874, aged 76 yeais. 

Close— Samuel E., Feb. 8th, 1865, aged 65 years. 

iJu?ne— Moses. June 16th, 1864, aged 77 years; Sarali, wife, Nov. 3Gth. 1868, aged 84 
years ; Ge«. P., son, April 8tli, 1865, aged 38 years, 

Htdtmrd — Col. Edwin M., burned to death in JMilburn Wagon Works, Toledo, O., 
-Sept. 29th, 1876. 

J^en f— Augustus, Oct. 4th, 1876, aged 56 years. 

V. ROLLIN. 

The second township meeting of the township of Bollin, tlie first understate au- 
iliority, was held at the house of Jacob Foster, on the 4th day of April, 18.3t». The 
several offices were filled by the election of the following named persons, viz: 
Matthew Bennett, supervisor; William Beal, township clerk; Daniel Rhodes, Joseph 
Steer and Lester C. Bennett, assessors; Elijah C. Bennett, collector; John T. Com- 
■siKMk and David Steere, overseers of the poor; John T. Comstock, Joseph C. Beal and 
Asa R. Bacon, highway commissioners; Mattliew Bennett, Brayton Brown, Orson 
Green and Leonard G. Hall, justices of the peace; William Hathaway, Ephraim 
iSloan, Elijah 0. Bennett and Joseph S. Allen, constables. There were no school 
i»spectors elected, as appears from the records of that meeting. The electors voted 
^o pay tliree dollars for bear, and two dollars for wolf scalps. 

At th« election held September 13th, 183(), to elect delegates to the convention to 
naeet at Ann Arbor on the 36th day of that month, to consider the boundary question 
proposed by Congress, there were only eleven votes cast. The township took no part 
in. the second or party convention which did assent to the boundary proposition. 

During the winter of 1835 and '36, material had been prepared for the proposed 
.^ist-mill, and in the spring tlie work was pushed forward. 

William Beal returned to his farm, Azel Hooker opened a store in Mr. Beal's vaca- 
ted, house, and placed it mider the management of a man named Allen. Samuel Com- 
ufeock was appointed postmaster, and to Epliraim Sloan was awarded the contract to 
csjrry the mail. 

in tlie spring of 1836 the first religious .society was organized at tlie house of 
3la,ttiiew Bennett. It was a Baptist churcli, and in its organization Mr. Bennett was 
iim prime mover, and he held the. office of deacon. Of this good man, one of his 
3i«j,ghbors, Mr. Page, writes as follows: "Deacon Bennett was peculiarly well fitted 
til- settle in a new country. Possessing a strong religious temperament and a keen 
#OTis6 of moral right, he used his influence for the best interests of the community in 
which he lived; never meeting his friends or neighbors without giving the friendly 
*jaiad-shake and kind, cheering words. Like the good Samaritan, he never passed by 
./Jj-e poor and the needy witliout relieving 1 heir distress as far as was witliin his means. 



100 THE BEAIN' CREEK VALLEY 



Though some time gone to his final rest, (a rest of which he so much delighted tc • 
talk,) he still holds a warm place in the hearts of those he left behind." 

In the winter of 18:36 and '37, the grist-mill was put in motion. It was the second ii* 
the Valley, the Talbot mill at Peru liaving commenced to grind in August of ISSS: 
but as its capacity was insufficient for the needs of even the nortlieast part of th« 
Valley, this new mill was hailed as a harbinger of approaching civilization. 

It would indeed be pleasant to follow, in description, the rapid development of the 
township, in population and in wealth, until it has come to be one of the finest and 
most wealthy townships in the county, inhabited as it is by an intelligent and enter- 
prising class of people, but the limits prescribed for this little volume will not per- 
mit; that must be deferred to some other time, and perhaps the task will fall to other • 
hands. With brief mention of some of her representative men, we must ctose this- 
.sketch. 

The Hon. Orson Green has lived in the township since 18?54, and during his sojouns 
there, has been frequently called upon to fill offices of tnist and honor. lie has twice 
represented his district in tlu' Legislature of the State, lie was elected to that offic-e 
in 18.58, and again in 1870. lie was a Whig, and now is a Ilepublican in politics. IlaT- 
ing an innate sense of justice, he is a Republican because lie believes equal rights io 
be one of the cardinal princi]>les of th<» i>arty. and that the cuunti y will be safer uncler 
its contro]. Mr. ( irccn is a Iciuling nicuilicr of the ^letliodist Episcopal church of Iiis- 
townshiii, having enjoyed tiio inivilcgt's of its connnunion for forty years. Ilishocse- 
Avas the home of tlif early civiiiit iiilcrs, who were always satisfied when lodged 
under his roof. 

The Ilev. William lUiodes settled in the townshiji in is;',4. lie married Ids wife iw 
Massachusetts, at the age of nineteen, before coming to Michigan, lie was a Meth- 
odist from early childhood, and tells of going with his wife forty miles to attend n. 
(|uarterly meeting, ^hs. IJhodes rode a horse, but Mr. Rhodes traveled the whole 
ilistance on foot. I'pon his invitation, the Rev. Mr. Jackson, the junior preacher on 
the Tecumseh circuit, visited the Uean Creek country and preached in its several set- 
tlements. He was accom])anied by Allen .Staples, then a local preacher, residing at 
Adrian. The services in the township of Rollin were held at the liouse of Daniei 
llhodcs and Dobson Page. William Rhodes is said to liave taught the first public 
school in the township of Rollin, in the winter of is'i(i and "■".'•. at his own house. 
There are some, however, who think Lucretia Beat tau-lit a scliudl at the house oi 
William Ik-al in the summer of ]s:J«. Mr. Rhodes was liffiised to jireacli in early life, 
and afterwards was received.into the itinerancy and ordained to the ministry. After 
liaveliiiga few years, he located and returned to his farm in Rollin. In subsequent 
\ears he was engaged in business in New York city, and then in Hudson. He is now 
living in the city of Detroit, engaged in the insurance business. 

Daniel Rhodes, the father of William, was also one of the earliest settlers of Rollin.. 
Ho lived on his farm in Rollin until about tlie year 18ti0, when becoming too old to la- 
bor, the farm was sold, and Daniel and his wife, Abigail, moved to Hudson, where- 
tliey lived until their decease. 

.John T. Comstock, also, was one of the earliest settlers of Rollin, and has resided' 
on his farm ever since his settlement in 1834. Mr. Comstock belongs to the Society of 
Friends, and lias won considerable reputation as a poet. Several years ago his wife 
—the companion of his youth, and the joy of his heart in pioneer days— de])arted this 
life, and he subsequently married Mrs. Elizabeth Wright, a preacher among the 
Friends. Mrs. Comstock is a woman of great excellence, distinguished for simplicity 
of manners, a fervid eloquence, and an untiring zeal in the prosecution of her mis- 
sion. She has traveled largely, is extensively known, and everywhere welcomed — 
alike among the Friends or other religious bodies, as a true disciple of their com- 
mon Master. 

There are many other worthy pioneers of tlie townsliij), some of whom ) a.e ser\T<i?; 



KOLLIN.-WOODSTOCK. 101 



■rJieir touTiship faithfully in minor capacities, and others of them have adorned tho 
'j>aths of private life. 

The following named gentlemen have represented the townsliip on the Board of 
Httpervisors: Matthew Bennett, 18;>5 and '37; Elijah Brownell, 18:^; David Steere, 
S.S39; Daniel Rhodes, 1.S40; William Beal, 1841; Thomas Kealey, 1842 and '43; Will- 
iam Beal, 1S41; Orson Green, 1845 and '46; .las. Patrick, 184T; Orson jGreen, 1848 to 
*53, bwth inclusive; William Beal, 185:5; A. II. Raymond, 18.>t and '55; Felix A. 
Wiieox, 18.56 and '5T; James Patriclc, 1858; Orson Green, 18.59; II. Rawson, 1860; 
Porter Beal, 1861 and '63; Orson Green, im); Felix A.Wilcox, 1864 to '67, both 
;iaclusive; Avery A. Dolbear, 1868 to '75, both inclusive; Orson Green, 1876. 

The township of Rollin is a handsome faced country, has ricli soil, and is well 
watered. It produces bountiful crops of all the important farm products. Its dairy 
laterest is large, and its fruit among tlie finest in the country. 

The people liave not been inattentive to the claims of education or religion. It has 
a. sufficient number of neat and commodious school houses, and its district schools are 
af a high order. It has four churches within its borders — one each in the villages of 
llollin and Addisow, one at the centi-e of the town, and a Friends' meeting-house on 
•section sixteen. 

VI. WOODSTOCK. 

The first township meeting of the township of Woodstock was held at the house of 
Jesse Osborn on the fourth day of April, 1836. The officers elected were: Xahum 
Lamb, supervisor; Thomas McCourtie, township clerk; David Ten-ell. Samuel Dunn 
and Joseph Younglove, justices of the peace ; Israel Titus, Ezekiel W. Sanford, and 
William Joslin, assessors; Jesse Osborn and John Binns, directors of the poor; 
Charles McKenzie and Jedediah P. Osborn, constables; Nelson Terrell, Michael 

• I'hool and Isaac Titus, commissioners of highways ; William Western. Joseph Young- 
Jove and Mitchel Gue, commissioners of schools; Alonzo Smith, William Babcock 
and Warden W. Sanford, school inspectors ; Ezekiel AV. Sanford. pound master ; Ben- 
son Hulin, sealer of weights and measures. 

In December, 1835, John 'Talbot commenced preparations for building a mill on 
Bean Creek, near the outlet of Devil's Lake. The mill was finished in August, 1836. 
The nfill is said to have been situated near the southwest corner of section thirty-three. 
This was the pioneer gi-ist mill of the Valley, and proved a great accommodation to 
the settlers. It was a small affair, however, and when run to its full capacity it was 
unable to do the grinding for even the northern portion of the Valley. In a short 
'^time there was quite a collection of houses, shops, etc., around the mill, which re- 
ceived the name of Pern. 

In the fall of 1837, 3Ir. Talbot concluding he could obtain a better power farther 
down the stream, commenced a new race and mill. Although the mill jiroperty is 

• aearly all within the limits of Woodstock, yet the mill was located just south of the 
township line, in the edge of Rollin, at the middle or unused flume between the pres- 
ent gi'ist and saw mill. The new mill commenced operation in the month of July. 
1838, and very soon after, all the denizens of Peru moved to and settled around the 

.new mill. « 

Diuring the political campaign of 1840, because nearly every voter of the burgh was 
a Whig, and coon skins (one of the Whig campaign emblems) were displayed at near- 
ly every door, Thomas McCourtie nicknamed it "Coon Town," an appellation it lias 
not entirely outgrown. In 1847, April the eighth, it was platted by the name of Har- 
rison, but soon after became generally known as Addison. The village is situated in 
iwo townships ; perhaps the greater i>art in Rollin. 

In 1840 Jesse Osborn and David Terrell built a saw mill on Goose creek, in the 
-siiorthern part of. the town.ship. The mill at the village now called Addison wa^j sold 



102 THE BEAN CREEK VAIJ^Y. 

to Darius C. Jackson in 1843, and about that time the saw mill was built. The pres- 
ent Jurist mill was built in the fall of 1848. 

Woodstock, like Rollin, is wholly an agricultural township. The face of thr 
country is considerably broken and profusely sprinkled with small lakes ; there -^isv 
fifteen, fourteen of them wholly within its limits. Besides these lakes,, there are ma- 
merous small streams. Indeed, it may be said of it, "It is well watered everywher*."' 
In 1870 there were 11,8.51 acres of land under cultivation, and the valuation of its fama* 
and live stock exceeds one million of dollars. It has some splendid farms and elegaait 
farm houses, and taking it altogether, it is one of the best of our agricultural town- 
ships. Of churches, it has not a great number. There is a Methodist EpiseopaX 
church in the village of Addison, but it stands within the borders of Rollin. A lUllr 
nortli of the village, on tiie north Ijj^lf of section thirty-one, there is a Friends' meet- 
ing house, and on section twenty-one there is a Congregational church. 

The earliest settlers have all passed away, and those of the second and tJiird y«is,T* 
are counted among the oldest men and women of the township. Cornelius Millspaw^, 
the first settler, moved into the township of Somerset before 1837, and after a wbiXiis- 
moved on still farther west. Mrs. Rachael Osborn died in 1851. In 18.57 Mr. Jesa-r 
Osborn moved to Coffee county, Kansas, where he died in 18»». 

The township of Woodstock has been the scene of two foul murders,, or meff** 
properly, of five, for one was a quadruple murder. Mr. and Mrs. Bivins had loBg: 
been residents of the township, and had won the respect and esteem of all tii«ii- 
neighbors. They had but one child, a boy named David. He was not different tsmtt 
other boys, except that he was noticed t» have a very revengeful disposition. At au 
early age he married a daughter of Ezra Sanford. She died July 5th, 1862, and it Yfs>i> 
afterwards thought that David was instrumental in her "taking off." At the time »i 
her death she was but nineteen years of age. In February following he married Ms- 
second wife, a daughter of Mr. Thomas Brownell, a citizen of Rollin township- 
Miss Laura Brownell was a young lady of great personal attractions, and appeared 'ki- 
be much attached to her husband, and they lived hajjpily for a time. David took a 
notion that he ought to have a deed of his father's farm, and to induce him to deed it^ 
David enlisted in the army. His idea was that his parents would rather deed hmt 
their home than have tlieir only son go into tlie army. In this he was mLstakes-, 
Learning his mistake, he hoped he would not receive his commission and appeai^t? 
disappointed when it came. He subsequently deserted the army, and at the house sd 
his father-in-law had an interview Avith his father, who besought him with tears to en- 
deavor in some way to earn an honorable living. As it was not safe for David to stay 
there, his father gave him one hundred dollars, expi'essing the hope that it was the lai>t 
money he would ever ask of him. David went to Grafton, in the State of Ohio, an**, 
engaged in the sale of Blackman's medicines, and earned some money. While th^.?, 
employed, he made the acquaintance of Miss Myra Hart, the daughter of a dry go«>d> 
merchant of Grafton. He was smitten with her charms, and it is believed made sora«- 
progress in gaining her affections. But there was a Woodstock lady in the way 
of a consunmiation of his wishes. He resolved to be rid of this encumbrance, and B,i 
the same time secure the property he would need to support Miss Hart. 

With this thought up])ermost in his mind, he left Grafton fur Michigan, in January^ 
1865. He went to his fatlier's house and had an interview with his parents and wife,, 
and then to Hudson the same day. At the livery stable of Green & Johnson he ap- 
plied for a saddle horse. Mr. Johnson informed him that they had none, but coukl 
furnish him a light buggy. It was winter, but the ground was bare. He gave orders 
to have the horse and vehicle ready on the arrival of the night train from the ea.s4.- 
Having made these arrangements he went east on the afternoon ti-ain. He returned; 
on tlie night train, took the horse and buggy, and driving to the vicinity of his father's, 
house, hitched the horse among some bushes by the roadside. Going into the house 
he found that his father and mother were absent, taking care of a sick neighbor. His 
Avife was alone. He sent her for his father, saying he must sec him immediately. • 



WOODSTOCK.-WHEATLAND. 103S 



Mrs. Bivins accompanied her husband home. David seated himself beside his father 
under pi-etense of private conversation, and thus held his attention while he present- 
ed a pistol to his head and fired. The old man dropped dead. His mother was next>- 
slain, and then he faced his wife. She plead with him for the sake of their unboni-- 
(!hild to spare her life, but the image of Myra Hart was before his eyes, and the brute, 
at once murdered his wife and their child. He then set fire to the house and retraced- 
his steps to Hudson. He arrived there in time to take the morning train eastward- 
A robe dropped from the buggy, told who tlie murderer and incendiary was, and he 
was immediately arrested. He died in the Michigan State prison. 

The other murder was that of Rhoda Pennock, who was killed by her husband,. 
James P. Pennock, on the 22d day of April, 186.5. Mr. Pennock had formerly lived in' 
the city of Adrian, and there owned the McKenzie farm. He removed to Woodstock 
about the year 1854, He was upwards of six feet in height, and in 186.5 he was sixty- 
seven years old, and his hair was jierfectly white. He owm-il one hundred and sixty 
acres of land on the shore of Devil's Lake, on section thirty-four. He was a profane 
man, excitable and passionate, but had never been intemperate, and although penuri- 
ous, had never been deemed dishonest. On the question of domestic economy 
Pennock and his wife had had frequent quarrels. Their son-in-law had l>een living; 
with them, and most of the household furniture belonged to him and to hiJs wife- 
They had determined to live apart from the old folks, but the old man objected' 
to a removal of the furniture. Mrs. Pennock took sides with the yoimg folks,, 
and the result was a series of family quarrels. On the afternoon of the 32d, just 
before dark, the neighbors discovered Pennock's barn to be on fire. They 
rushed over there and succeeded in extinguishing the flames. When this was done,, 
the house was discovered to be on fire. This fire also was extinguished, but while 
they were engaged there Pennock succeded in firing the barn so effectually that it 
was destroyed. When this third fire was discovered it first occurred to the neighbors- 
that Pennock was tlie incendiary. Mrs. Pennock was nowhere ai'ound, and as dark- 
ness had now come on. they procured lights and went in search of her. They found 
her lifeless body under a bridge which spanned a small stream naming into the lake. 
He hail killed her by blows on her licad with some blunt instrument. 

The following named citi/.i'iis luivi' served as supervisoi's of the township: 1836,. 
Nahum Lamb ; 18;S7, Jesse Selleck ; ls:>s, Samuel Driggs ; 18.39 to '4T, both inclusive, Joel 
F. Knapp; 1848, Orsamus Lamb; 1849, Samuel Dean; 1850 to '07, both inclusive, 
Orsamus Lamb ; 18(58 to '72, both inclusive, Lewis Sanford ; 1873 and '74, Manson Car- 
l)enter; 1874 to '7(i, both inclusive, A. M, Sickly, 

Vn. WHEATLAND. 

Harvey McGee and family settled in the township of Wheatland late in 18:35, ami 
Lyman Pease in February, 1836. Pease had lived for some years west of Adrian, iu 
Lenawee county. 

At the township meeting held that year, Heman Pratt was elected supervisor, Jno- 
•SfcKnight clerk, and Heman Pratt, Nelson R. Rowley, Elias Branch and Aaron 
VanVleet, justices of the peace. 

Mr. b'dson Witherell had, in 1835, located 160 acres of land in Wheatland, and in 
183(5, in the month of July, he moved his family on to the land. They came from 
Adrian through Rellin, and were three days making the journey. Tiieir place was at 
the end of the road ; all beyond was wilderness. 

In 1836 occurred the first birth and death in town six south : or, as it was then or- 
ganized, the south part of Wheatland. Mrs. Cook gave birth to a son, and a few 
weeks afterwards died. Elder Parker preached the funeral sermon. 

It is not perhaps kuown where or when the first couple were married, or who they 
were, but there was a marriage in 1836. It was necessary, then, to obtain a license- 



104 THE BEA2^ CREEK VALLEY. 



. of the township clerk before consummating the marriage contract. The township was 
possessed of a cleric that year who thought a record of the license of no value, but he 
■demanded and obtained the written consent of the bride's father before granting the 
license, and this he recorded. In this instance it is as follows : 

"This may certify that I. Silas Carniichael, of the coimty of Hillsdale, Michigan 
Territory, do give my consent for Nancy Carmichat^, my daughter, to marry Hemy 
B. Smith, of Logan, Lenawee comity, Michigan Territory. 

Silas Carmichaei.. 
In presence of 
Henry Carmtchacl, Dec. 26th, 183C. 

Squire Carmichael." 

Mark, too. this clerk was a strict constructionist; he called Michigan a territory, 
although it had been a de facto State for more than a year. Legally, however, it was 
a territory. 

The Nokes school house was probably built in 1836. By this is not meant the pres- 
ent house, but its log predecessor. All agree that it was the first built in town, and 
the next was built in 1837. This last, the house in No. 2, was built by Charles Car- 
niichael. lie took the jol) for ^70, began it in June, and finished it July 4th. When 
the house was complete<l, he prepared to go to Adrian to buy some flour, as the bread 
timber was about to give out. Two of his neighbors also sent for a barrel each. 
"When he arrived in Adrian there was only one barrel for sale in the village, and they 
wanted ^18 for it. A man told him if he would wait until next day he would sell him 
three barrels of flour for 5p14 a barrel; he expected a car load of flour next morning; 
(horse cars were then used on the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad.) Carniichael agreed 
to wait. Soon after, Zebulon Williams, who then lived south of Adrian, came along, 
and pressed Carniichael to go home with him for the night. Carniichael consented, 
but before going, dejiosited the money for the flour with the landlord, and apprised 
ihe merchant of the fact. Coming back to the village next morning, he saw the man 
iinloading a car load of flour, but the man did not recognize him. Stepping up to him, 
he asked. '"Have you any flour to sell?" "No," said the merchant, "I liave none to 
.spare; it is all i)r()mised." Carmichael looked blue enough, for well be knew the 
flour barrel at home must before then be empty. The man, noticing his disconsolatt; 
looks, continued, by way of apology, "They are nearly starving out in the Bean 
€reek country; there is a man from there, here, and 1 have promised him three bar- 
rels ; the money is deposited with the landlord, and it is all I can si)are. My custom- 
ers must have the rest." "All right," said Carniichael, "I aiii the man." To yoke his 
oxen, bring the wagon up, load the lioiu- and start for home, was but the work of an 
hour, and busily he jogged along luitil the flour was in the houses of the hungTy 
settlers. 

Mrs. Charles Carmichael went East on a visit that summer. She started June 8th, 
and traveled from Adrian to Toledo by horse power, but when she returned, the 
horses had been exchanged for steam power, and she made the ti-ip to Adrian behind 
a locomotive. 

In 18.39 Stephen Knapp raised the first frame barn in the township. It stood for 
.several years without doors, and it began to be thought among his neighbors that he 
hurried it up before he was able to finish so he could say it was the first. Chas. 
Carmichael built his in 1842. The blacksmith who made the hinges advised him 
to build his doors first, as barns in Wheatland were liable to stand without doors. 
But Stephen Knapp was a stirring man, and kept well in advance in all farming work. 
He sowed the first wheat in 1835. He bought his seed wheat of Charles Ames, trav- 
eling a woods road as far as Jesse Smith's when going for his seed. The family also 
elaim he marketed the first corn. 

The farmers of Wheatland complain of the hard times of 1837, '38 and '39. Times 
were very hard in that new township, and much of it was due to the want of a mar- 
ket. They drew wheat and oats to Adrian and sold them, the first for 47 cents, and 
the last for 14 cents, ]ier busliel. Perry Knapp took a load of oats to Adrian, and 



WHEATLAND. lO.n 



driving into tho hotel j-ard broke a man's wagon tongue. He sold his oats for 14 cents 
per bushel, and paid a dollar for the tongue. He thinks there was but little profit on 
that load of oats. 

When the Wheatland people use to go to Adrian to mill, it took four days to go and 
come ; but if the Adrian mill was full, or had bi'oken down, which was sometimes the 
case, and they had to go to Tecumseli, it took longer. 

A story has been told of old-time milliug, which was in this wise : In 1834, '35 or '3(> 
—no matter which, but before money went out of fashion— a boy of the Valley went 
to Adrian to mill. He must needs be in a hurry because bread timber Avas scarce at 
home, but when he came to Adrian the mill was full. There was not even room to 
ge't his grist into the mill until soom was made by departing teams. He went to the 
miller and laid his case before him. The miller shook his head; first come first 
served was the rule, and it coidd not be varied. "Can't it be groimd at some odd 
spell?" "No, it must wait its turn." "Well," said the boy, "I woidd like to go home 
in the morning," and at the same time dropped a silver dollar into the busy man's 
hand. When he went to the mill in the morning he saw at a glance that his grist was 
ground. After breakfast he drove his team around, and without asking any questions 
loaded his grist. The others gathered around, and the question "How is this?" was 
on every tongue. The miller was too busy to heed tlieir queries, and the boy merely 
said, "Guess there is some mistake about it, but I am darned glad of it." The boy 
thinks he saved about four days' time. 

The farmers of Wheatland were almost overjoyed when the Talbot mill started, 
but when the Rollin mill was put in operation a few months later, they thought them- 
selves out of the woods. The township of Wheatland is entirely an agricultural 
town ; with trivial exceptions, no other business is carried on within her borders. Of 
chm-ches, she has a sufficient number to accommodate her church-going people. It 
seems to be conceded that the first church organization was the Free Will Baptist. It 
"\vas organized by Father Whitcomb and the Rev. Jonathan Thomas, in 1837. Both 
branches of Methodists had church organizations and buildings in an early day. The 
class organizations of the Methodist Epis3opal church were effected very soon after 
the first settlement was made, probably in 1836, or not later than 1837. In a very early 
day, the Rev. Mr. Parker settled in the township, and, soon after, the Rev. Mr. Doo- 
little, both of them local elders, and they did much to promote the growth of the 
church. With such laborers as these to supplement the regular work, it is no wonder 
that Methodism flourished, and as early as 1.814 had church buildings in use. The 
membership of other churches were not idle. The early Laness'ille Presbyterian and 
Congregationalist preachers were self-constituted itinerants, and at first gave half of 
their time to the Wheatland appointment; but very soon such labors were too infre- 
quent for the Wheatland work, and they set up for themselves. At first, a very large 
portion of the Hudson church was made up of citizens of Wheatland, but these, with 
■only a few exceptions, in 18-i'2, transferred their membership to the Wheatland church, 
which has become a very influential body of christians. The Baptists (the regulars), 
also, several years ago, effected an organization in the township, and in the early 
literature of the denomination the Wheatland church was often mentioned as being 
called upon to give counsel to sister churches. 

In the matter of schools, Wheatland is not one whit behind her neighbors. Her 
schools, from very early times, have been considered in the van for learning, manage- 
ment and ability. The people have showed their appreciation of good schools by 
building excellent buildings and sustaining them liberally, and lately an institution 
has been opened to teach the higher branches of learning, and it is to be hoped that 
it will prove a success. 

The farmers of Wheatland have never been over-anxious for political preferment, 
but they have furnished the State two excellent legislators in the persons of Itlr. 
Robert Cox and Albert B. Slocum. They have also, for years, furnished the Board of 
Supervisors with a presiding ofQcer. Her supervisors have been the following : 1835, 



106 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

TIeman Pratt, probably; 1836, Heman Pratt; 1837, '38 and '39, John Bailey; 1840 and 
'41, Lyman Pease; 1842, '43 and '44, John Humphrey; 1845, '46 and '47, Zebulon Will- 
iams; 1848, John Humphrey ; 1849 and "50, Zebulon Williams; 1851 and '53, John L. 
Taylor; 1^5:? and '54, John Humphrey; 1855, Ebenezer Trumbull ; m56, John F. Tay- 
lor ; 1857 and '58, John McLouth ; 18.59, Albert B. Slocvun ; IStW and '61, Jno. McLouth ; 
1862, Thos. Robbins; 1863, '(M and '65, Jno. McLouth ; 1866, Benjamin F. Tabor; 1867, 
•fohu McLouth; 1868, '69 and '70, Benjamin F. Tabor; 1871, John McLouth; 1872 and 
"73, Myron McCJee; 1874, '75 and '76, Benjamin F. Tabpr. 

VIE. PITTSFOED, 

The first t<)wnship meeting of the township of Pittsford was held at the house of 
Alpheus Pratt, on Monday, the second day of May, 18:^6. Why it was not held in 
April does not appear. Robinson H. Whitehorn was moderator, and Urias Tread- 
well clerk of the meeting. These, with John L. Taylor, a justice of the peace of the 
township of Wheatland, but residing within the limits of the new township, were 
the inspectors of the election. 

Officers elected:— Elijah B. Seeley, supervisor; Urias Treadwell, township clerk; 
.Tohn L. Taylor, Robinson H. Whitehorn, Elijah B. Seeley, and Sidney S. Ford, jus- 
tices of the peace; Cyrus King, Austin Nye and Jesse Smith, assessors; Ozen Keith, 
•Tohn Williams and Ira Rose, conmiissioners of highways; David Strunk, collector; 
David Strunk, Jesse Kimball and Reuben Mallory, constables; Alpheus Pratt and 
Daniel Looinis, poormasteis ; Cyrus King, Daniel Loomis and Gaylord Tabor, scliool 
commissioners; Urias Treadwell, Sidney S. Ford and Robert Worden, school inspec- 
tors. 

The town was divided into four road districts, Charles Ames, Robert Worden, 
Ozen Keith and Abraham Britton were the overseers, and each district was six miles 
long. In consttquence of some of the officers failing to qualify, a special township 
meeting was held September 12th, and Daniel Loomis elected school commissioner, 
and Elijah B. Seeley and Robert Worden justices of the peace. 

Official Register for 1837.— Supervisor, E. B. Seeley; township clerk, Eldad 
13. Trumbull ; justice of the peace, Russell Coman ; assessors, R. 11. Whitehorn, Henry 
Ames, Ira Rose, Benjamin Estes, Royal Raymond; commissioner of highways, John 
Williams, Gaylord B. Tabor and Daniel liOomis ; collectors, Jesse Kimball and Calvin 
Pixley; constables, James S. Sprague, Calvin Pixley, Jesse Kimball and Geordious 
Houghton ; overseers of the poor, Charles Ames and Alpheus Pratt ; school inspectors, 
Urias Treadwell, Robinson H. Whitehorn and Laban J. Aylesworth. 

The business of 1837 having all been disposed of, the record of that year closes with 
this announcement : "The meeting for the year 18.38 is now adjoiu-ned to the quarter 
stake on the section line between sections fourteen and twenty-three, or at the school 
house to be built thereat, to be held on the first Monday in April next." 

At that time persons desiring to be married had to procure a license of the town- 
ship clerk. Mr. Trumbull licensed four couples for that business during the year. 
As a reminder of olden times and ways, one of the entries is here given : 

Whereas. Robert O'MeaJy apidying for a license, according to law, to be united to 
Sarah Peters in the Ixnuls of matrimony, this is to ecilify that 1 see no reasons why 
the said Robert O'^Mealy and Sarah Peters should luii lie united in the holy bonds of 
matrimonv, and aceordinglv grant the same. E. B. Tkl mbull. Town Clerk. 

Pittsfonl, Sept. the 18th, 1837. 

In like manner Christopher Clement and Alice Fish were licensed Sept. 31, 18S7, 
Edward Edgerly and Lucinda Britton, December 8tli, and James Fuller and Esther 
Stuck, December 30th. 

Official Register, 1838.— Supervisor, Elijah B. Seeley; clerk, Eldad B.Trum- 
bull ; assessors. Isaac A. Colvin, Timothy Johnson, Calvin Pixley and Ira Rose ; 



PITTSFORD. 107 



commissioners of hisliways, Ozen Keith, George Goodricli and Lester Monroe; col- 
lector, Willard F.Day; school inspectors, Laban J. Aylesworth, Cyrus P.Lee and 
Urias Treadwell; constables, Willard F.Day and Cyrus P. Lee; overseers of the 
poor, Charles Ames and Samuel Day. 

The reader will perhaps have noticed that some of the officers elected in 18.37, and' 
also in 1838, were residents of town eight south, one west (Wright). Such was the 
case with Russell Coman, elected justice of the peace, and Calvin Pixley, elected as- 
sessor in 1837, and Timothy Johnson and Calvin Pixley, elected assessors in 1838; but 
then it will also be remembered that Pittsford then extended to the State line. 

Official Register, 1839.— Supervisor, Isaac A. Colvin; clerk, Willard F.Day; 
ti'easurer, Ozen Keith ; assessors, David Strunk, Peter Clement, Lester Monroe ; col-^ 
lector, Willard F. Day ; inspector, Robinson H. Whitehorn ; directors of the poor, 
Samuel Day and Alpheus Pratt; commissioners of highways. Jams Earl, Gay lord 
Tabor and Liims Monroe; justices of the peace, Abiathar Power and George Good- 
rich, 

Here is an item, the last clause of wliich is respectfully commended to modern 
undertakers : "Voted that the town should pay for the coffin which was procured for 
Henry Prentiss, five dollars.''^ 

Some time during the sununer of 1839, the government removed the Indians 
from Squawfield. They had encamped on the little St. Joseph for years, and this 
village was the home of the Chief, Bawbeese. Mr. E. E. Maxson had now become 
the owner of the land, and of course he wanted possession. By the treaty of Chicago, 
1821, the Indian title had been extinguished to the land in Hillsdale county, but the 
Indians had not yet been removed to their trans-Mississippi reservation. Mr. Maxson 
was very anxious to have the government move the Indians, but as long as they were 
peaceably disposed and injured no one the government was not swift to act. About 
this time occurred a trivial circumstance which was made the lever to effect their re- 
moval. Warren Champlin was then quite a lad, in his teens, perhaps, and was a 
great favorite with the Indians. He shared their sports and felt quite at home witlv 
them. One evening he went down to bathe in Mallory Lake ; his younger brother, 
then a child, accompanied him. Leaving his brother on the shore of the lake, with a 
white companion and two young Indians he took a canoe and pushed out into deeper 
water. While bathing he heard a scream, and looking up he saw a young Indian 
brandishing a knife and in mimicry passing it around the scalp lock of the little boy. 
Warren at once came to the shore. He found the boy almost dead with fright; but 
Bawbeese, who had come out on hearing tlie cry, explained that the Indian was only 
showing his companions how to scalp an enemy. 

Maxson took advantage of this incident, it is said, to represent to the government 
that the Indians were troublesome, and an order was made for their removal. The 
detachment of soldiers arrived in the neighborhood in the evening, secured guides, 
and late in the night, when it was supposed all the straggling parties would be in, 
proceeded to the village. The approach was stealthy, and a line of troops had been 
formed around it before the alarm was given. When the Indians were awakened by 
the officers they were very much alarmed. The squaws and pappooses rushed as if 
they would gain the woods, only to meet a line of bayonets. Then they turned back 
and made night resound with their lamentations. But lamentations were useless ; 
the troops were there for a purpose, and that purpose must be accomplished. The 
squaws and pappooses were loaded in wagons, and the Indians, unarmed, were com- 
pelled to mai'ch with the soldiers. All were fallen except Bawbeese and his 
squaw. She had recently been confined, and they were left until she shoidd be able 
to go. After she had recovered and they had bade adieu to their friends among the 
whites, they, too, turned their faces toward the setting sun. 

Although the township had had white inhabitants for six years, it still might (in 
1839) be called a wild country. Many quite extensive fields had been brought imder 
cultivation, yet the largest ])art of the township was forest,— gigantic forest,— and 



108 TIIE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

wild game was still abundant. Eldad B. Trumbull, who worked on the Lanesville 
mill at its building in 1834, and settled in Pittsford the following year, has, ever since 
his first settlement, kept a daily journal of his business affairs and those things which 
more nearly appertained to himself and family. In looking over the entries from 
1835 to '40, one is astonished at the amount of game he killed, and still did a day's 
work every week day and attended worship nearly every Lord's day. Mr. Trumbull 
tells that his wife was provoked at him because once when they were out of meat and 
a deer came into their door-yard on Sunday, he refused to shoot it. Mrs. Trumbull 
says she yet thinks it would have been excusable. 

But the scene has changed ; fields are the rule, and woods the exception ; but many 
of the brawny arms that felled the forests are dust, and others have ceased the active 
duties of life and await the sunnnons. Their labors have made the township of Pitts- 
ford one of the finest in Southern Michigan. It is mostly agricultural, as its 
many fine farms attest. Indeed, it might be said to be entirely so, as its manufac- 
tures are only those necessary to change the form of farm products to fit them for the 
table and market. Lowe's mill, in the southeastern, and Wood's mill, in the western 
part of the tt)wiiship, are almost entirely employed with farmers' grinding. Pittsford 
has had many saw mills within her borders, but as her fine forests have disappeared, 
so also her saw mills have decayed or been removed nearer growing timber. 

Pittsford has furnished the State with legislators and the county with executive 
officers. In the legislative office, Elijah B. Seeley, Bobert Worden and John M. Os- 
born, as Eepresentatives, and John M. Osborn as Senator, have served the State; in 
the county, Robert Worden has guarded the treasury, and Wray T. Palmer and Wil- 
lard F. Day have recorded indentures. 

Politically, the township is at present Republican. From 1836 to 1842 it was 
strongly Whig ; afterwards the parties were more evenly divided, so it was not diffi- 
cult to elect a good man on either ticket, as the frequent election of such men as 
Seeley, Keith and Day shows ; but in 1851 a large part of the Democrats became Re- 
publicans, aud since then it has been strongly Republican. 

The following have been its supervisors: 1836, '37 and '38, Elijah B. Seeley; 1839, 
Isaac A. Colvin; 18-10, Elijah B. Seeley; 1841, Ozen Keith; 1842, Elijah B. Seeley; 
1843, Jesse Kimball; 1844, Henry Ames ; 1845 and '46, Ozen Keith; 1847, Jesse Kim- 
ball; 1848, Ozen Keith; 1849, Elijah B. Seeley; 1850 and '51. Ebenezer Stewart; 1852. 
Nelson P. Nye ; 1853 and '54, Ozen Keith ; 1855, Martin U. Webb ; 1856, '57 and 58, 
Willard F. Day; 18.59, '60 and 61, Eli Bush; 1862 to '65, both inclusive, Sidney Green; 
1866 to "69, both inclusive, Truman N. Wadsworth; 1870, '71 aud '72, Henry Lane ; 
1873, Truman N. Wadsworth; 1874 and '75, Henry Lane; 1876, Truman N. Wads- 
worth. 

As a reminder of the days when men used to be licensed to sell liquors, the follow- 
ing item is given: 

We, the undersigned, the township board of the township of Pittsford. county of 
Hillsdale, and State of Michigan, do hereby grant unto George Miller, of the township 
of Pittsford aforesaid, license to sell wines and spirituous liquors by retail, in a cer- 
tain liuildiiig owned by him, near the school house on the northeast corner of section 
No. 4, in said township, from this date until the 13th day of April next, provided that 
the wines and liquors so sold be not drank on or about the premises aforesaid of said 
Miller. Given under our hands this 30th day of Aug., 1H45. 

Ozen Keith. Supervisor. 
Wm. Edmonds, Justice. 
j. c. hogaboam, " 
David Kemp, " 

R. D. WiNEGATi, Dept. Clerk. 

Township Board. 

Some of the early settlers of Pittsford have died, among whom are: 

C/iawpiui— William. March loth, 1873, aged 73 years; Rhoda, wife, Oct. 18th, 1866, 
, aged 68 years. 

^7ne.s— Charles, Sept. 4th, 1873, aged 74 years; Sarah, his wife, Dec. 24th, 1869, aged 
..'"2 years. [For deaths of other pioneers of this town see Necrology of Hudson.] 



SOMERSET. 109. 



DL SOMERSET. 

The surface of the township of Somerset is broken into numberless conical shaped 
hills, and interspersed with numerous small lakes and large springs of the purest 
Avater. The highest land in Southern Michigan is within its borders, yet in some 
parts it needs the services of a drain commissioner to adapt the soil to more perfect 
cultivation. In quality of soil and beauty of scenery it ranks with the best townships 
of Southern Michigan. 

In the winter of 183(>-7 John ]\IcLouth built a saw mill on the north branch of Posey 
<!reek, a tributary of the Bean, and in 18.37 William "Webster built another saw mill on 
the same stream ; both were long since abandoned. 

The township of Somerset was organized in the spring of 1837. It had formerly be- 
longed to the township of Wh(>atland. At first the settlement along the Chicago road 
in town five south was the strongest, but the emigration of 1835 and '.36 centered 
mostly in town six south, giving it the advantage in point of numbers, and in con- 
sequence each part desired a separation. The northern people sent a petition, asking 
that the towais might be divided and that the northern town might be allowed to re- 
tain the old name and organization. They were met in committee on townships by a 
petition of the southern people, asking for a separation and that tlie southern town 
might be allowed to retain the old name and organization. The Legislature decided 
in favor of the southern town, and five south became the new town and was named 
Somerset. 

The first township meeting was held at the house of Cornelius IMillspaw, on Mon- 
day, tlie third day of April. 1837. The Legislature directed it to be held at the house 
of Thomas Gamble. Why it was changed is not known. Officers elected:— lleman- 
Pratt, supervisor; John McKnight, township clerk; Amos Fairchild and William 
Weaver, justices of the peace; William Mercer, Alvah Foster and Orson Herrington, 
assessors; Daniel Strong, Chauncey Kennedy and Jonathan Ilaynes, commissioners 
of highways; Samuel A. Clark, collector; Cornelius Millspaw and David Weather- 
wax, directors of the poor; Warner Bunday, Alvah Foster and Arza Fiimey, school 
inspectors; and Samuel A. Clark, Daniel Millspaw and William Howard, constables. 

At a subsequent election, tlnat is to say, in 1839. Timothy Gay was elected a justice 
of the peace. 

As late as 1842 the township paid bounties for the destruction of wolves. Indeed, 
the township seems to have been noted for its abundant supply of game. Elias 
Alley, esq., relates that he killed seventy-six deer within six weeks' time. 

Cornelius Millspaw built a saw mill on Goose creek, a tributary of the Raisin, in 
the winter of 1838. The saw mill has gone to decay, and now a flouring mill occupies 
its place. This last was built by Harrison Fitts, in 1851 or '.5'3. It is now owned l>y 
Jesse Tucker & Son. 

There was a Presbj-terian church organized in 1836, at what is called Somerset 
O.nter, and worship was maintained there for many years; but the society, which 
was considerably scattered, was partly absorbed by the church at Gambleville and 
partly by a church in the west part of the township, and the house was sold to the 
Methodists. 

In 1841 Newton C. Wolcott commenced manufacturing rakes on the head waters of 
(Joose creek, and the business developed extensively, and for a time it was the lead- 
ing rake factory in Michigan; but of late the prison makes rakes .so much cheai)er 
than he can, that he has ceased manufacturing. 

The township has furnished Hillsdale county two judges, (neman Pratt and 
William Mercer,) and the State one legislator, in the pers(m of Dr. Root, of Gamble- 
ville. 

Supervisors— 1837, Ileman Pratt; 18:38, William Weaver; 1839, Elias Branch; 1840, 
Williaui Weaver; 1811, Azariah Smitii; 1842, '43 and 'W, William Mercer; 1845, Jabez 



IIQ THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

S. Moslier; l.S4rt aiid'-i-, Cliester Hunt; 18-18 and '49, William Mercer; 1850 and '51, 
Chester Hunt; 1852, Daniel C. Crane; 18.53, '5-1 and '55, AVilliam Mercer; 18.56 and 
'.57, AYilliam P. Kichards; 18.58, William Mercer; 1859, William P. Richards; 18G0, 
George A. Smith; 1861 and '63, Sanford Hopkins; 1863 and '(M, Newton C. Wolcott; 
1865 to '73, both inclusive, Sanford D. Hopkins ; 1874, '75 and '76, Andrew N. Westcott. 
Township Clerks— 1837, John McKnight; 1838 and '39, W. S. Branch ; 1840, James 
Gowans ; 1841 and '43, Charles Farnsworth ; 1843, George L. Moore ; 1844, Jabez S. 
Mosher ; 1845, George L. Moore ; 1846, John M. Muuson ; 1847, George L. Moore ; 1848, 
'49 and '50, Oliver Lathrop ; 1851, Charles Farnsworth ; 18.53 and '53, Orson Herring- 
ton; ia54, IL H. Davis; 1855, Charles B. Moore; 1856 and '57, Roswell R. Farnsworth; 
1858 to '63, both inclusive, Aaron Bickford; 1863, Dennis Clancy; 1864, Aaron Bick- 
ford ; 1865 and '66, Dennis Clancy ; 1867 and '68, Warner Bunday ; 1869, David A. 
Terrell; 1870 to '76, both inclusive, Oscar D. Brown. 

X. MEDINA. 

The mill, commenced building in 1835, was finished in the spring of 1836, by Labau 
Merrick, and the first lumber was sawed on the 13tli day of April. William Walworth 
built a small mill on Lime creek, section 31. It was a patent arrangement, and ground 
coarse grain only. Tyler Mitchell >Yas the carpenter and millwright, and the mill 
commenced grinding in June, 18:36. Walworth died in August— the second death in 
the township, the first having been Loren. a son of John Knapp, April seventh. In 
the spring of this year Mr. George W. Moore became an inhabitant of the township ; 
he had purchased his land in the spring of 1834. The Rev. David Smith preached in 
the township. He was a Presbyterian clergyman sent out as a missionary, and sup- 
ported by the Presbytery of Western New York. He lived in a small house on the 
farm of Simon D. Wilson, iu Seneca, and preached in private houses. He removed to 
Illinois in the spring of 1837. In June the Rev. Edward Hodge became the pastor of 
the Baptist church, organized at Canandaigua in January of that year. He had a 
salary of two hundred dollars. He lived in the township of Dover. 

The spring of 183() was a very severe one for the inhabitants of this part of the Val- 
ley. The most of them had moved in, in 1835, and as yet had not raised a crop, and 
provisions were very scarce and dear. Even had there been provisions that could 
have been bought, many of the settlers could not have purchased, as they had used 
up their means in purchasing land and moving in. One man who had planted .some 
potatoes in the spring of 1836 was obliged to dig them up and eat them. It was all 
they could get to eat. Floiu-, when obtainable, was sixteen dollars a barrel ; pork, 
thirty to thirty-two ; oats, one dollar and seventy-five cents a bushel ; and salt, ten 
dollars a barrel. Some families were obliged to live for weeks together without 
bread, and depended upon the rifle for their daily subsistence. Said the Rev. William 
E. Warner to Mr. Moore, one day in the fall of 1836, "AVe are having snug times at 
our house; for our breakfast this morning we had nothing but pumpkin sauce to eat, 
and Mrs. Warner thinks these arc rather hard times." 

The hard times, however, did not have the eifect to suspend the execution of the 
Divine command. Gen. i : 38. On the 14th day of July, 1835, a son was born to Charles 
A. Prisbey. The boy afterwards died at Murfreesboro, Tenn., June 37th, 1863, 
while a member of the ;J4th Wisconsin infantry. On the 14th day of November, 
Orrin Green was horn. On the 18th day of February, 1836, a child was born in the 
family of Lewis Shepardson, and on the same day a child was born in the family of 
a Mr. Bayless, iu the south part of the township. On the 34th day of August, 18.36, 
Henry C. Foster was born. He, also, died in the service of his country, at Athens, 
Alabama, Sept. 34th, 1864, a member of tlie 18th Michigan infantry. In the summer 
of 1836, Ansel Coats and Phoebe York were married, Daniel II. Deming officiating, 
iind September 1>'ith, J. D. Sutton and Abigail Knapp were married. 



IVIEDINA. Ill 



This young town must have begun to feel tlie curse of intemperance, for on tlie 
fourth day of July, 1836, Dr. Hamilton delivered a temperance lecture at Canandaiguu. 

The Rev. Lorenzo Davis having been sent to the newly organized Bean Creek mis- 
sion of the Metliodist Episcopal church, preached in Mr. John II. Foster's house. 
Mr. Foster had already built his second house, and the pioneer building was used as 
a church and school house. Mr. Davis continued to preach in that house once a 
month during that conference year. 

Mrs. Dr. Hamilton taught the school in the Canahdaigua school house in the sum- 
mer of 1836, and that fall a frame school house was built in that village. Then 
Canandaigua aspired to be the metropolis of Medina township. The same fall a log 
school house was built on the farm of Benjamin Rogers, southeast quarter of section 
twenty-three. Medina had three schools in the winter of 1836-7 ; the third was taught 
by Miss Colgrove, in John R. Foster's house, near the northeast corner of section 
three. 

In December, 18.36, the Baptist church of Canandaigua voted to hold their meetings 
in the village of Medina. The meetings were held at the dwelling house of Deacon 
Cook Ilotchkiss during the winter of 1836-7 and the summer of 1837. 

Medina village, as it then began to be called, had no physician, and, ignoring the 
Divine command, they coveted their neighbor's doctor. Dr. Hamilton had built a 
new frame house in the village of Canandaigua, and to induce him to move to their 
village, the people of Medina purchased the house, and the doctor moved in Decem- 
l)pr, 1836. As the villages are only about one mile apart, it practically could make but 
little difference whether he lived at one or the other of the places; but for the oldest 
village to lose her only doctor to enrich her rival, was rather humiliating. But their 
<!up of liurailiation was not yet full. The only frame dwelling house in the township 
was within her borders, and this the Medina people determined should not be,— they 
would remove it. Twenty of her most stalwart men went down there, with fifteen 
yoke of oxen collected from among the farmers of Medina and Hudson, to accomplish 
the removal. .Shoes were placed under the building, the oxen hitched to it, and 
"Wlioa." "Haw," "Get up. Bright," and away the house went towards Medina. To 
avoid the bridge, they cut a road through the woods, north of the creek. The route 
they were compelled to take to avoid the bends of the creek made the road nearly two 
miles long, and the house was two days in transit; but at last Medina had one fi-ame 
house. Canandaigua none. 

In the winter of 1836-7 the Medina Mill Company built a saw mil) in tln^ village of 
Medina. They commenced sawing lumber April 1st, 1837. 

On the eleventh day of March, 1837, the Legislature set town eight soutli, one east, 
off from Seneca, and gave it the name of Medina. The act directed the township 
meeting to be held at such place in the township as the sheriff of Lenawee county 
should by proclamation designate. Accordingly, the sheriff issued a proclamation as 
follows : 

niOCLAMATION. 

Notice is hereby given to the electors residing in township eight south, of ranse one 
eastj to meet at the house of John Dawes, in said township, on the first JNIonday in 
April next, at ten o'clock A. m., and there })roceed to elect townshi]) officers for "the 
year coming, agreeable to law. Given under my hand at Adrian, this 'Mh dav of 
March, 1837. J. H. Cleveland, Sherilf of Lenawee County. 

On the 20th day of March, 1837, the Legislature passed a supplemental act detach- 
ing fractional town nine south, one east, from Seneca and attaching it to Medina. 
But the action of the Legislature was probably unknown to the sherilf, hence the 
notice is CHily to the voters residing in town eight. 

At that time the following named persons were voters in the township of 
Medina as it was then actually organized, although only those living in town eight 
south participated in the township meeting : Nathaniel W. Upton, John R. Foster, 
John Knapp, Cook Ilotchkiss, Charles Prisbey, Samuel Fincher, Ebenezer Daniels, 
John C. Hotchkiss, Artemas Allen, Dr. I. S. Hamilton, Rev. William E. Warner, 



112 THE BEAJJ CREEK VALLEY. 

Abel Platts, Patrick McKenny, Tyler Mitchell, Patrick Dillon, William Cavender, 
Samuel Gregg, S. Dewey, Orrin Pixley, Charles Baldwin, Lawrence Reubottom,. 
Hiram Lucas, Asa Farley, Lewis Shepardson, Amasa Converse, N. K. Green, John 
Dawes, Levi B. Wilder, Benjamin Holmes, James McQuillis, Ben Pvogers, Abner 
Rogers, Chester Savage, Justus Coy, Orvill Woodworth, Cassius P. Warner, John 
Powers, Ethan Barns, Seneca Barns, Rollin R. Hill, Orlando Whitney, John S. 
Sweeney, John D. Sutton, Henry S. Smith, Samuel Kies, Horace Garlick, E. H. John- 
son, Levi Goss, Benjamin Hornbeck and Hiram Wakefield, heads of families, and 
Eli Upton, George W. Moore, Andrew McFarlane, James Burns, Patrick Trumer, 
Levi Daniels, James Rogers, Charles Stone, Newton Dawes, Alonzo S. Hume, Ben- 
jamin Converse, Nathan Stone, John Seeley, J. M. Baggerly, and Zebedee Baggerly,. 
unmarried men. 

In accordance with the sheriff's proclamation, the township meeting was held on 
Monday, the 3d day of April, and officers were elected as follows : Rollin R. Hill, su- 
pervisor; John Dawes, township clerk ; George W. Moore, Noah K. Green and James 
A.Rogers, assessors; Orlando Whitney, John S. Sweeney and John Powers, com-- 
missioners of highways ; Asa Farley and John D. Sutton,' school commissioners ; Ben- 
jamin Rogers and John Knapp, overseers of the poor; Asa Farley, James A. Rogers, 
Henry S. Smith and Samuel Kies, justices of the peace; Charles Stone, Cassius P. 
Warner, Horace Garlick and E. H. Johnson, constables; Charles Stone, collector. 

The justices elect drew for term, with the following result: Henry S. Smith, four 
years; Samuel Kies, three years; James A. Rogers, two years; AsaFarley, one year. 
The voters thought it necessary to offer a five-dollar wolf bounty. 

The new township government did not start off very smoothly. Hitherto, there had 
been both school commissioners and school inspectors, but the Legislature abolished 
the office of school commissioner at tlieir session in 18:57. The people evidently 
thought it was the inspectors that were abolished, for tliey elected school commission- 
ers but no inspectors. Then, also, they were in a muddle with their justices. 

In 18:36, Cook Hotchkiss was elected a justice of the peace for the township of 
Seneca, which then included Medina. The Medina people thought it not best to have 
a Seneca officer hold over amongst them, and persuaded Hotchkiss he had better re- 
sign his Seneca office and be elected anew, and they evidently supposed he consent- 
ed to do so, and had done so, for at their election they elected the full complement of 
justices, but omitted Hotchkiss from the list. When the election was over, the 
new justices learned, to their dismay, that Cook Hotchkiss had not resigned, and did 
not propose to resign. Here was a muddle. The law provided for four justices, and 
no more. F'our had l)een elected on a general ticket, and now that there was room 
for only three, how could they tell whicli one was not elected. Thus reasoning, they 
called a si>ecial township meeting to rectify the errors. The special township meeting 
was held on the 9Mth day of June, at the house of John Dawes. Dr. I. S. Hamilton, 
Rollin R. Hill and Noah K. Green were elected school inspectors, and yVsa Farley, 
Noah K. Green and John Dawes, justices of the peace. Henry S. Smith and John 
Kies were left out of the deal this time, and now it became a question who was elect- 
ed to the office. As to Farley, there could be no question ; but Smith and Kies, or 
Green and Dawes— which? Recourse was now liad to the prosecuting attorney, antl. 
he advised them tliat there was nothing in the law to prevent their having five jus- 
tices in such ca,ses, and that the first was the valid election. Later in tlie season, 
Samuel Kies removed from the township. Another special meeting was held, and 
Samuel Gregg elected justice to fill the vacancy. 

Early in 18:37, the wounded honor of the people of Canandaigna was somewhat 
healed by the coming of Dr. Angell, a botanic physician ; but soon after, a new wound 
wa^ inflicted. A Mr. Stephenson prepared the timber for a new hotel building which 
)u proposed to put up in Canandaigna, but being somewhat impecunious, he mort- 
gaged the timber. Afterwards, being unable to pay off the mortgage, he sold the 
timber to Charles A. Prlsbey and C. P. Warner, of ^Medina village, without disclosing 



aiEDINA. 113 



the fact that it was mortgaged. Prisbey and Warner drew the timber to Medina and 
constructed the tavern now owned by Mr. Alien. The mortgagee made them pay his 
debt, but Medina had a frame hotel. 

Another little incident occurred about that time, which tended to even matters up a 
little. In the fall of 18.S6, an itinerant fruit tree vender brought some apple ttees to 
Oanandaigua to sell to the farmers of Medina and Seneca. He had fifty more than he 
could dispose of, and these he buried in Cavender's field. In the winter, a Medina 
man coming by the field, discovered the tree tops covered with snow, and asked 
Burns Cavender what it meant. He said Gregg had thrown a drunken Indian out of 
his bar-room, he had died from exposure, and his body was buried lightly and covered 
with brush. The Medina man went home, revolving in his mind the tragic death of 
the Indian. He called a secret council, and it was determined that the matter must 
be investigated and Gregg punished. In the dead of the night, six of Medina's most 
valiant sons sallied forth, armed with axes and spades, for a march on Canandaigua. 
They came to the spot and attempted to remove the brush, but their butt ends had 
sank in the mud and frozen down. The axes were called in requisition, and the 
brush cut away even with the ground. Then the digging commenced, and in the 
course of an hour's hard work the bodies and roots of the trees were exhumed. 
They went home sadder and wiser men, desiring above all things to keep their agen- 
•cy in the matter a secret. But "murder will out," and they had to pay for the trees; 
and what was of more consequence to them, be jeered at by the Canandaigua folks. 

On the 7th day of March, 1837, a church was organized in the south part of the 
township, and called the First Congregational church of Medina. It had eleven mem- 
bers, and the Rev. Paul Shephard was its first pastor. i 

On the 20th day of May, the name of the Baptist church was changed to "The Bap- 
list church of Medina." and in the fall a small church building was built. A post- 
office was established at the village of ^Medina this year, and Artemus Allen was 
made postmaster. Mr. Lauren Hotchkiss came into the township from Adrian, whith- 
er he had come in 1831. 

In the summer of this year, 1837, the Medina Mill Company built a grist-mill. The 
building was one and a half stories high, and 34 by 36 feet. In it were placed two run 
of stones. I. H. Luddon, was the millwright, and J. C. Lewis built the wheel. The 
old building now forms the north and lower portion of the Kerr mill. The first flour 
was ground in this mill on Thanksgiving day, 1837. In the fall, George W. Brower 
built a saw-mill on Lime Creek, on section twenty-three, and commenced sawing in 
December, 1837. 

Canandaigua was platted October 26th, 1835, by Ira White, but Medina village was 
not platted until a year and a half later. The plat was made and acknowledged by 
Asahel Finch, Cook Hotchkiss, Artemus Allen and L. Hotchkiss, March 30th, 1837. 

In 1838 B. F. Hutchinson purchased the Canandaigua saw-mill, and built an addi- 
tion to it in which he put the Walworth giinding mill. Dr. Eufus Kibble settled in 
Canandaigua this year, and resided there and practiced medicine until he removed to 
Coldwater. 

The Legislature, at its session in 1838, chartered the Medina & Canandaigua Rail- 
road Company. Cook Hotchkiss, John Knapp, B. F. Hutchinson, Samuel Gregg, 
William Billings, Artemus Allen and Ebenezer Daniels, were the corporators named 
in the act. The subscription books of the company were to be open two days each in 
the villages of Medina and Canandaigua. Thirty days' notice of the time when, and 
place where, such books would be open, should be published in the Constitutional- 
ist or Watchtowcr. Tiie route was to be from Morenci, through Canandaigua and 
Medina, to some point on the SouUiern Railroad in Lenawee county. 

In the fall of 1837 the new township furnished the State a legisl ator in the per- 
son of Lauren Hotchkiss. The subsequent year, 1839, he was ordained to the min- 
istry of the Baptist church, and was the pastor of the Medina church several years on 
a salary of ?>l!ir) a year; and if times were hard, and his people could not woll pay, he 



114 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

did not exact all of that. In 1840 he built a saw-mill, at what is now Tiffin, and about 
18i4 or '4.5 a mill was built by Nathan Bassett for carding wool, and, later still, for 
fulling, shearing, coloring and pressing clotli. Weaving and spinning were also car- 
ried on to some extent in the establishnient. About 1854, Mr. Ilotchkiss bought the 
property, exchanged the machinery for flouring apparatus, and began grinding grain. 
The mill was afterwards the property of Morse and Christophers, and now is owned 
by C. C. Morse & Sons. 

This year, 1839, Medina had its first celebration of American Independence, at Can- 
andaigua. The committee of arrangements were A. L. Downer, B. F. Hutchinson, 
F. H. Hagaman, John McGowan, John D. Wolf, Philo Wilson, Orlando Whitney, 
Hiram Lucas, Lawrence Kheubottom, William Billings, Samuel Kies and Robert 
Sloan; president of the day, Samuel Gregg; chaplain, Rev. Mr. Bacon; orator, 
Wheeler M. Dewey ; readers, Philo Wilson and John M. Bird. Tliey had militia com- 
panies in those days, and Capt. Drown and his Bean Creisk Rangers did the escort 
duty of the day. The dinner was free, and of course ended with regular and volun- 
teer toasts. Here is a specimen of the volunteer kind, and is given as tending to 
show the humble bearing of the men of those times: "We, the citizens of Bean 
Creek, unrivalled in industry, unsurpassed in virtue and morality, and unremitting in 
our efforts to fulfill the Divine command to multiply and replenish the earth." 

August 28th, 1839, one of the settlers of 1834 died. It was Cook Hotchkiss, the 
founder of the Baptist church of Medina, the first blacksmith and the first justice of 
the peace in the township. One of his neighbors said of him, "lie was a consistent 
christian, a kind neighbor and a true friend." 

In 1839, Mr. Hutchinson built another addition to the Canandaigua mill, and put 
in one run of stones. Penniman and Asliley bought this property about 1844, and in 
that and the following year built a new mill three stories high, 40 by 60 feet, costing 
310,000. It was burned Nov. 19, 1856, and a few years since a small mill was built. 

In 1840, to '44, the villages of Medina and Canandaigua were at the height of their 
power, gi-andeur and glory. The two villages did the most extensive milling business 
in the Valley, if not in the county. The Medina mill alone, in 1840, floured 40,000 
bushels of wheat, besides custom worlc, and the store of Allen Daniels & Co. was the 
most complete in Lenawee county, outside of the village of Adrian. The original 
merchant of the township of Medina was a Mr. Saulsbury, at Canandaigua, in 1835. 
lie was succeeded by Green in 1836, also at Canandaigua, and Allen Daniels & Co.,. 
at Medina, were the third in the mercantile succession. 

In 1841 or '42, the people of Medina township had another evidence of tlie advance 
of the country from infancy to niaturer growth in the establishment of a distillery at 
Canandaigua by Franklin Smith, then lately of the village of Hudson. The distillery 
continued in operation for several years, and, it is said, made a very poor article of 
corn whisky. Mr. Smith, while there, was made Colonel in the Michigan militia, aud 
hence derived his military title. He returned to Hudson about 1853, and for a while 
run the Wirts steam mill, and suddenly developed into a temperance man ; and as he 
formerly aided in the manufacture of drunkards, so now his temperance views were 
of the strictest and most uncompromising kind. After the death of liis wife, a 
daughter of the Rev. David Pratt, he went West and engaged in building railroads, 
and became very wealtliy. He has since lost his only daughter, helped to bury every 
member of his father-in-law's family, except the old hxdy, and he now makes fi-e- 
quent visits to Hudson to care for her. His only hate seems to be against dealers in, 
and drinkers of intoxicating drinks, and those who aid or encourage them. In tlie 
manifestation of this hate, lie sometimes seems unreasonable. 

About 1845 or '46, ]SIr. and Mrs. Barrows opened a select school in tlie central part of 
the township. They boarded tlieir pupils who came from a distance, and exercised 
parental care over them. The school was rather under the auspices of the Congrega- 
tional chm-ch, was largely patronized by members of that church abroad, and yvas a 
good school. The Congregational society at that point built a cliurch building on sec- 



MEDINA. 115 



tion twenty-six. It was dedicated in 1849. The Rev. George Barnum was its pastor 
for nine years, and under his ministrations the cliurcli prospered. In 1858 and '59, 
many of its most substantial supporters removed from the townsliip, others trans- 
ferred their membership to tlie new eluirches at Canandaigua and Morenci, and the^ 
church became extinct. The building was afterwards talcen down, rebuilt at Pratt- 
ville, Hillsdale county, and re-dedicated as a Congregational church. 

About the year 1844 a Methodist class was organized near the southwest corner of 
the township, and built a church on the west side of section thirty, but afterwards it- 
became the property of the United Brethren, 

In the year 1844, Dr. Hamilton remo\ed from Medina to Adrian. He afterwards re- 
moved to Tecuuiseh, where he still resides. Dr. David Brown succeeded him. Dr. 
Brown was a son of father Elisha Brown, of Hudson. He read medicine with Dr. Ham- 
ilton in Medina, and giaduated at a Massachusetts college in the spring of 1843. Hft 
returned to Medina and commenced practice with his preceptor, whose removal in 
1844 left him a large practice. He died in Medina in 1858. 

About this time, also, (1844), Judson R. Hyde came to Medina, where he lived until 
about 1850. He married the daughter of Mr. Cornelius DeMott. Miss DeMott shouk). 
have been mentioned as bringing, in 1839, the first jjiano into tie township of Medina,. 
On leaving Medina, Mr. Hyde and family went to Hudson. He afterwards resided in 
New York, then in Omaha, again in Medina and Hudson, and finally again in Omaha» 
where he became the laud agent of the Union Pacific Railway Co., and there Mrs» 
Hyde died. 

In 184C, a new Baptist church was built in the village of Medina. It was remodeled 
and re-finished in 1875. 

In 1848, a Dutch Reformed church was organized at Canandaigua. The Rev. Mr„ 
Hermans preached there two years as a missionary. The church is extinct. 

In 1848 or '49, Chester Savage built a saw-mill on Bean Creek, in the southeasterD; 
part of the town. Medina has liad several steam saw-mills, mention of which will bet 
made in this connection. Benjamin Durffe built a mill in the western part of the 
town, about the time under consideration, 1848 ; John Johnson built a mill near tlio 
residence of his father-in-law, Orville Woodworth, esq. ; Orris R. Baker, a mill on sec- 
tion seven, in town eight south; C. II. Baldwin, a mill in Canandaigua, and George- 
Beach a mill in Medina village. 

As before stated, a postoffice was established in Medina village in the spring of 
1837. A weekly mail was received until 1840, and subsequent to that date a semi- 
weekly mail. In 1850 the postoffice was removed to Canandaigua, and Samuel Gregg 
appointed postmaster. A petition was sent to Washington to have the office returned 
to Medina. No action was taken, however, until 1851, when a new postoffice was es- 
tablislied at Medina, and Ebenezer Daniels appointed postmaster, and the two offices 
have existed within a mile and a half of each other until the present time. Since 
1854 there has been a daily mail run between Clayton and Morenci, by the way of 
Medina and Canandaigua. 

In 1853, the inhabitants of Medina, feeling the need of better school facilities than 
could be obtained in the district schools, organized a joint stock company and built- 
an academy building, 30 by 50 feet, two stories high. Alonzo M. Carson and wife, of 
Hudson, taught the first year, and were succeeded by Mr. O. L. Spaulding, since Gei> 
O. L. Spaulding, of St. Johns, in this State. Among the instructors employed at thft- 
Oak Grove Academy, as it was named, were Prof. Edwin Cook, of Chicago; Gen. By- 
ron Cutcheon, of Manistee ; Prof. Swan, of Exeter, N. II. ; Prof. John Drake, Nevr 
York ; B. F. Boughton, Wis. ; Edwin B. Sayers and Henry W. Norton, of this county, 
The Academy was incorporated in 1872. Its students adorn every path of life, from 
the honorable Congressman to the independent farmer. The Hon. John Baker, mem- 
ber of Congress from Indiana, was one of its earliest students. Eleven of its student* 
have graduated at the various State colleges, and more than seventy-five were officers- 
or soldiei-s in the war of the rebellion. 



•116 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

In 1853 or '54, Dr. Rufus Kibbie left Canandaigua and went to Coklwater, in this 
estate. Dr. Todd, now of the city of Adrian, settled in Canandaigua in 1853, and re- 
•mained four years, when he removal to Adrian. Dr. Chappell came in 1844, 
and is still in practice there. Dr. Brown died in Medina, in 1858, and was succeeded 
*y Dr. Weeds, who remained until, in 1801, he was commissioned a snrgeon in the 
United States army. Dr. Jas. 8. Power succeeded Dr. Weeds, and remained until 
•1866. Dr. Ely, an eclectic, and Dr. Dodge, an allopath, are the present practitioners 
•inthe village of Medina. In addition to the physicians already named, Drs. Titus, 
Hampton and Kendall, have practiced medicine in Medina. Dr. Titus came to Me- 
<lina about 1845, and for a time was a partner of Dr. Brown. He removed to the State 
of New York, thence to Missouri, returned to Medina in 1863, and staid one year. He 
was a skillful practitioner, but his intemperate habits unmanned him for business. 
Dr. Carlos G. Hampton practiced in company with Dr. Brown two or three years, and 
afterwards, for some time, lived on a farm near the village. He removed to Texas 
a.bont 1859 or '60, but on account of Union sentiments, was driven out of the South 
in 1861 or '63. After his return, he practiced medicine in Hudson for a time, and 
•then removed to Muir, in this State. He married a daughter of Capt. Drown, of 
Medina. His oldest son enlisted in the 18th Michigan Infantry, was taken piisoner 
«t Athens, Ala., confined in a rebel prison, and, after exchange, was killed by the 
•explosion on the steamer Sultana, in April, 1865. Dr. Kendall lived on a farm in the 
.south part of the township, and practiced medicine for many years. He is now sell- 
ing drugs in Fayette, Ohio. 

About 1858 or '59, the Methodist societies at Medina and Canandaigua built 
•churches. In 1858, a Congregationalist society was organized in Canandaigua, and 
the Rev. Geo. A. Nichols, a Presbyterian clergyman, preached to them one year. In 
4859 the church was organized, and a church building erected, which was dedicated in 
«^uiy, 1860. The Rev. Mr. Hyde was the first pastor; he remained two years, and was 
.succeeded by the Rev. Herman Bross. In the simmier of 1870 the society built a 
■l)rick parsonage. 

No township in the Valley has furnished the State so many legislators as Medina. 
She has furnished one Senator, Dr. Rufus Kibbie ; five Representatives, who served 
an aggregate of eight terms, as follows: Lauren Hotchkiss, Ebenezer Daniels and 
Charles A. Jewell, one term each ; Philo Wilson two, and Noah K. Green three terms. 
Ebenezer Daniels was a member of the constitutional convention of 1850, and Jacob 
C. Sawyer of that of 1867. Philo Wilson served one term as county judge. Super- 
'Visors : 1837 and '38, Rollin R. Hill ; 1839, Rufus Kibbie; 1840 and '41, Geo. W. Brower; 
il843 to 1849, both inclusive, Noah K. Green; 1^50 and '51, Edward C. Perkins ; 1853, 
Noah K. Green ; 1853, Edward C. Perkins ; 1854, Jacob C. Sawyer ; 18.55, John Dawes ; 
•185C, Carlos D. Hampton; 1857, Joseph Hagaman; 18.58, '59 and '60, Noah K. Green; 
-1861 to 1869, both inclusive, Charles A. Jewell; 1870, '71 and '73, Chas. C. Morse; 1873, 
Edwin Haff ; 1874, Chas. C. Morse; 1875, Chester R. Lyon; 1876, Chas. C. Morse. 

By the kindness of Mr. George W. Moore, the following list of officers and soldiers 
furnished by Medina to the armies of the Republic during the war of the rebellion, is 
given : 

01(1 First Infantry.— Returned, James Donaldson, Louis Heath, Wm. C. Moore. 

New First I?i/ajitri/.— Returned, Thomas Hannan ; killed, Edward P. Brown, at 
second battle of Bull Run, Va., Aug. 30th, 1863. 

.Second I?i/a7i tj'y.— Returned, Benj. F. Heydenberk, Lester Culver. 

Third Infantry.— T>ied, J. S Weeds, at St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 15th, 1863. 

Fourth l7i/nntri/.— Returned, Harrison Hamlin, Royal Hamlin, Albert Wilbur, 
^Tames Brogan, Geo. Donivan, Irwin P. Perry, Cyrus Millins, Chauncey Heath, 
Edgar Heath, Thos. C. Williams, Jonathan Fink, John Townsend, Alfred Town- 
send, Sterling Chatfield, John C. Hotchkiss. Killed, J. S. Bailey, Malvern Hill, Va., 
June 29th, 1863; L. L. Kenyon, Mai v«rn Hill, Va., July 1, 1863; W. H. Palmer, Pe- 
;^ersburg,Va., June 14th, 1864; Henry S. Lawrence, Chancellorsville, Va., May 5th, 



MEDINA. iiT" 



1863, Died, L. Cox, Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 22<i, 1865; E. H. Wheeler, Georgetown^ 
D. C, Aug. 29tli, 1861; Geo. W. Millins, of starvation, Andersonville, Ga., May 16th,, 
1864; Peter Gahagan, of wounds received at Gettysburg, Pa.; Chas. Heath, New 
York city, March, 18a3; Moses Rose, at Fredricksbnrg, Va., May 9th, 1864; Iliranv 
Rose, at Washington, D. C, July 9th, 1864; Harvey Warn, at Libby prison, 18<V4. 

Seue?UM»/a7ifri/.— Returned, Lieut. James Donaldson, Horace Rice; died, Geo. 
Knapp, Washington, D. C, 1863. 

Eleventh Infajii?*;/.— Returned, *Capt. Lewis Heath, Andrew McFarland, Peter 
Malarny, Levi Manning, Sumner Manning, Henry Lawrence, John Osborn, Alonza- 
Kinney, Henry Spring, Ira Baker, Leroy Coats, Oliver Converse, James Culver. Geo.. 
.Savage, Marvin Wood, Henry Lewis. Killed, David Edwards, Stone River, Tenn. r 
L. P. Wilkins, near Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 16th, 1864. Died, Horace Osborn and William* 
Sutton, in Kentucky, 1862; Geo. Peters, Nashville, Tenn., 1863. 

fi/teentMn/rtnt?-y.— Returned, Thomas Rooney, Timothy Creeden, John O'Con- 
nor. 

Seventeenth Infantry. —Reimma, John Moriarty; died, Thos. McKcnney, Knox- 
ville, Tenn., Nov. 16th, 1864. 

EighteenUi Infantry.— RetmneA, *Capt. W. C. Moore, Lieut. C. A. Jewell, Joha 
Creen, Andrew J. H. Gove, jr,, Ira L. Forbes, Nelson Rice, Hope Welch, Jas. Holmes». 
William Gunderman, Henry Clark, Freeman Gould, Benson Gray, Harlow S, Hilli- 
ker, Wm. H. Hawkins, Wm. Hughes, Frank Drown, Emmons Hyde, Samuel Both- 
well, Jas. Both well, Wm. Bennett, Lewis Converse, Geo. J. Johnson, Andrew J. Jew- 
ell, Warren Bennett, Wm. McCarty, Cyrus Baldwin, Allen Paulding, Chas. Barber,. 
Chas. Wheeler, Alvin Wilbur, DeWitt Garlick, Henry Emmons, Ephraim Sloan, Geo. 
Bebee (deserted) ; Mark Goss (now in U. S. Insane Asylum, Washington, D. C.),. 
Killed, HenryC. Foster and Fernando Wheeler, Athens, Ala., Sept. 24th, 1864; Hen- 
ry Chatfield, near Huntsville, Ala., Nov. SSth, 1804. Died, N. Bailey, Lexington, Ky.^ 
April 22d, 1863; Orrin S. Upton, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 1st, 1864; George W. Proper^ 
Camp Chase, Ohio, June 20th, 1865; A. W. Gould, Danville, Ky., March 7tJi, 186;V, H,. 
Ogden, Nashville, Tenn., May 13th, 1S64; Peter Hoyt and Henry Baker, Nashvilte,. 
Tenn., Nov. 20th, 1864; John Bennett and Joseph Bennett, Nashville, Tenn., 1864; 
Herman Iligley, Stevenson, Ala., November, 1864; Joshua Kinne, Stevenson, 
Ala., Dec. 2rth, 1861; Milford Graham, Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 19th, 1864; Charles E. 
(ireer, 1867; James II. Main, 1865, at Medina, of disease contracted in the army; Jer- 
emiah Spring, H. II. Vancourt, James W. Bradish, Warren Upton, Frank Hampton- 
and Seymour II. Main, April 27th, 1865, on the steamer Sultana. 

Twenty-Tltinl Infantry.— Died, Edward M. Spaulding, Bowling Green. Ky., Feb- 
10th, 1863. 
Slxiy-Elghth O/iio.— Returned, ]\[artin Y. Palmer, David Palmer and Lewis Smith.. 
Fifty-Second Ohio Infantry.— Killed, Horace B. Jewell, near Atlanta, Ala., July 
19th, 1864. 

Ninth Cavalry.— Died, Robert W. Campl)ell, at Medina, of injuries received in tlLe- 
army. 

Eleventh Cca'«??-j/.— Returned *Benj. F. Ileydenberk, David Stuck, Henry Law- 
rence, Marvin Rogers. Killed, Samuel F. Smith, supposed at Saltville, Ya., Oct. 2d^ 
1864. Died, Charles Wood, in Kentucky, 1864. 
FouHh Battery.— Charles Lewis (deserted). 

Sixth Battery.— Died, Geo. A. Graham, Grand Rapids, June 9th, 1864. 
Ei{}hth Battery (DeGolyer's)— Returned, Lieut. Edward Luce, Laban Shaw, Isaac 
Rose, Orrin Smith, Decatur Belden. Died, David Farewell, Vicksbnrg; J. Joughin, 
Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 14th, 1865; A. Dutcher, Marietta, Tenn., Aug. 28th, 1863. 

Ninth Battery.— Killed, G. L. Baker, Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 7th, 1864. Died, Eli Ben- 
net, Detroit, 1864. 

Berdan's Sharpshooters.— Returned, E. C. Farnsworth, Edwin Cra;ner, Albert Jew- 
ell, Edwin Walton, Andrew Walton, Estel Hoag. Killed, Elbridge Jewell, at Kelley's 
*Ke-en listed. 



118 THE BEAN CEEEK VALLEY. 



Ford, Va., Nov. 8th, 1863; Otis Higley, Gettysburg, Pa., July 3cl, 1863. Died, Simon 
■ Rose, Pliiladelphia, Aug. 25tli, 186;i; Eugene Smitli, Virginia, February, 1863. 

First Mechanics and Engineers.— Returned, Martin Jolmson. Killed, William 
•Johnson, on steamer Sultana, April 27th, 1865. 



XI. SENECA. 



Notwithstanding the many purchases of land in 1834 and 1835, in Seneca, cousider- 
-«rable of her domain was Government property in the spring of 1836. During that 
year, purchases of Government land were made, as follows : Ira L. Mills, March 
iiSth; William Camp, May 20th; James Mather, Nov. 7th; Jacob L. Roy, Sept. 26th; 
Nelson Camp and John Camp, May 20th; Augustus Ford and Robert Furman, June 1st; 
John R. Willis, July 4th; Henry V. Mann, June 16th; George Packard, May 14th; 
•Oliver Furman, June 20th; Samuel Jordan, February 19th ; John B. Norvis, July 
■Mth; Josiah Randolph, May 28th; Lois Morey, January ISth; Japheth Cross, 
March ITlh; John McVicker, June 1st; Gedatha Cross, June 18th; Moses Legon, 
April 25th; Stephen W. Powell, March 16th; William Service and Warner Wing, 
March 17th; Asa Arnold, February 18th; George Dunlap, March 21st; George L. 
Church, March iMth; Edward Rice, April 19th; William Bancroft, Jan. 19th; Jed- 
•cdiah Jessep, Jan. 25th; ElkanahBriggs, Jan. 25th; Daniel Tuttle, Feb. 6th; Edward 
Willis, Feb. iMth. 

Work had been commenced on the territorial road in the winter of 1834-5, and in 
1836 was passable, but never was a good road. 

In the spring of 1836, Japheth Whitman settled in, or where Morenci now is, built 
:a log building and opened a frontier store, the stock consisting of articles in the dry 
vgoods, hardware, grocery, drug and saloon line. Some time afterwards, Wm. Sutton 
kept a tavern in a log building, the first hotel in Seneca township. 

Franklin Cawley came to Morenci in 1836. lie bought his land in 1850, of James 
Armitage, of Monroe, and a large part of the village of Morenci is on the laud thus 
fcought. 

In 18:^8 a postoftice was established, and ]Mr. Whitman made postmaster. Its name, 
Morenci, was given by Mr. Simon D. Wilson. 

In 1841, David M. Ilaight came here and opened the second store within the terri- 
tory denominated Seneca. Morenci, however, was but little more than a country post- 
office until about the year 1850, when it took a new gi-owth. 

Almost immediately after his coming here, in 1836, Mr. Franklin Cawley purchased 
the pioneer saw-mill on the Bean, about one and a half miles above the site of. Mo- 
renci. It had been built in 1835, by Jacob Baker and Horace Garlick. About the 
year 18.50, Franklin Cawley purchased the land on which Morenci is principally built, 
and himself, Dennis Wakefield and George W. Wilson built the saw-mill, and after- 
terward the gi-ist-mill, and also opened a store. 

In 18.52, there were four stores in Morenci. The original store had ceased to exist. 
Mr. Ilaight was still selling a few goods. Asa A. Kennedy and Moses S. Worth had 
.each little stores, and the store of the mill company made the fourth. In the fall of 
tliat year, Silas A. Scofield came to Morenci, built a building, with steam power, and 
•commenced the manufacture of furniture. He afterwards, the connnuuity seeming 
io demand it, added planeing machinery, and extended his business in any direction 
the need of the place seemed to demand, sometimes to his own detriment financially. 
Mr. Scofield has been one of those useful men which every new village needs, who 
work hard and disinterestedly to build up the place, but who fail to amass fortunes. 
They are of more use in building up a place than money-lenders ; while they fail, 
tlieir work remains to enrich others. But Mr. Scofield is yet a young man ; he has 
.acquired a respectable fortune which, it is to be hoped, will develop into wealth. 

In 1854, the Hon. James P. Cawley bought the store of the mill company and com- 



SENECA.-WRIGJIT. 119 



menced business on his own account. He continued in business until 1860, by him- 
self; at that time he formed a copartnership with Messrs. Rothrock & Green. In 1873, 
having become involved by reason of his connection with the Morenci Woolen Mill 
Co., he was declared a bankrupt, and his estate wound up. He afterwards removed 
to Detroit, and is now interested in the house of L. H. Dean & Co., commission mer- 
chants. Mr. Cawley is a very competent business man, a prominent member of the 
Methodist church, and a useful member of society. For one term he represented 
Lenawee county in the State Senate. 

About the same tiriie, Pegg & Swindle built the tannery. It afterwards became the 
property of Wilson & Swindle. It was burned in 1874, but has been rebuilt. 

About 1855, the Rev. John Crabbs came to Morenci and established himself here as 
a tailor. He remained in that business, preaching on Sunday a part of the time, un- 
til the war of the rebellion. He was commissioned chaplain in an Ohio regiment, and 
was stationed the most of the time with Gilmore, on the Island before Charleston, 
South Carolina. Since the war, he engaged for a time in the life insurance business, 
but latterly has resumed his old business. 

David M. Blair came to Morenci about the same time, and engaged in blacksmith- 
ing. This business he has developed, until he now has one of the finest carriage man- 
ufactories in Southern Michigan. 

The village of Morenci now has four chiirches, in which the Methodists, the Bap- 
tists, the Congregationalists and the United Brethren, worship. 

Since 1860, the village has made rapid progress, more especially since the comple- 
tion of the Chicago & Canada Southern Railway gave them railroad communication 
with the rest of the world. The village sensibly feels the pressure of hard times, es- 
pecially in the loss of her woolen mills, and the consequent embarrassment of some 
of her best business men. The village, a few j'ears since, became incorporated, but 
the hard times have prevented any great municipal improvements. The township has 
sufficient milling privileges. Besides its original water-mill, and the Morenci mills 
already spoken of, it has a steam mill in the northeastern part, and the Canandaigua 
mill, near its northwestern boundary, are easily accessible to its inhabitants. 

Its official list is not large. It has furnished one sheriff to the coimty, Col. S. B. 
Smith, and one Senator to the State, the Hon. James P. Cawley. 

Besides its religious organizations, the township has a lodge of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, a Masonic Lodge and Chapter, and a Farmers' Grange. 

The old men and women are fast passing away. Baker, Cawley, Dr. Swaney, Mrs. 
Wilson and others, are gone. Simon D. Wilson and Elias J. Baldwin linger in feeble 
health. Coomer, Wakefield and a few others, perhaps, of the settlers of 1834, are yet 
strong, but a few more years will have removed them all. How important, then, 
that some willing and competent hand, living in the township, collect more of the 
facts of the history of the early settlements of the township, that they may be pre- 
served to posterity. 

Xn. WRIGHT. 

The family of Mr. Russell Coman spent the winter of 1S35-G in the midst of an 
American forest, miles from any neighbors. The nearest neighbor to the north 
■ward was Mr. Whitbeck, on the town line between Medina and Hudson, aad the 
next, east of him ^111, the Rev. Mr. Warner. On the Hudson, or county line road, 
there was none nearer than Lowe's mill, and it is believed none nearer than Samuel 
Davis, northwest corner of section thirty, Hudson. It was a lonely winter— not even 
Indians for neighbors. 

Mr. Michael Lickley and family settled in the northwest corner of the town in May, 
1836. As soon as spring opened, Mr. Samuel Coman put his family in motion towards 
the wilds of Michigan. The party consisted of himself and wife, his son, Curtis 



120 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

Coraaii, and wife, his daugliters, Lydia and Orpha, and sons, Samuel P., Stephen W., . 
Francis II. and William E. The journey from Toledo was made by team, the women 
of the party walking nearly the entire distance. From Canandaigua they were direct- 
ed to Hudson ; arrived there, they took the south road and encamped at its end, on 
the top of the hill south of Lowe's mill. A family had lately arrived there and built 
a shanty. The boys from here went to look for Russell, and having found him tlus 
family was piloted in. They arrived on the twenty-third day of June, and for a time 
that little cabin buzzed with life, for until anotlier cabin could be built fifteen persons 
lived in and around that one. The covered wagon was backed up close by the cabin 
and the boys lodged there. But so many hands made light work, and soon a second 
cabin was ready. Curtis Coman and wife took possession, and divided the large 
family. 

Between the arrival of Russell's family, in December, 183.5, and the arrival of the 
otlier Comans, it is believed that the following named families settled in town eight 
south, one west, forming a part of the township of Wheatland before April the fifth, 
and of the township of Pittsford subsequent to that date : Royal Raymond, Joseph 
Pixley and Truman Bown. Raymond settled on the farm William Bradley now 
owns, Joseph Pixley where the widow Root lives, and Bown where the late Timothy 
Johnson so long lived. 

About tliat time, or soon after, James Wilson commenced a settlement in town 
nine south, and the country filled up rapidly. That is to say, the purchasers of 1835 
for the most part came in and built cabins on their lands. The town was densely 
timbered, and each cabin wa.s in the woods, no otlier house in view, and before neigh- 
bors could be in sight acres of timber must be felled. At it they went, and before 
winter set in, the most of them had their door-yards clear of logs. The Comans 
sowed one acre of wheat that fall, and from it in ISii? reaped fourteen bushels of 
wheat. Before leaving the East, Curtis had purchased a small patent mill, for which 
he paid twenty-five dollars. lie now built a frame for it. In this mill he ground the 
wheat he had raised, and the old man assured the writer he never felt so independent 
in his life. The frame of the mill is still in existence, and is kept as a souvenir of the 
days of 1836. 

The settlers of towns eight and nine south, one west, experienced great hardships 
during 1836, '37 and '38. AVhen they came there in 18:36 their towns were one vast 
wilderness, broken only by the door-yard of Russell Coman. These trees had to be 
chopped and the timber burned before a crop could be raised. The Comans raised a 
little corn among the logs, and perhaps a few others did also, but the winter of 18.36 
.set in with gloomy prospects. The settlements to the north of them hatl not raised 
sufficient for their own subsistence, and imported food was both dear and of poor 
quality. The most of tlie farmers exliausted their means in the purchase of that 
winter's provisions, and in the spring of 1837 were entirely destitute*. The most of 
them had cows, and the pasturage was excellent, the only drawback being that some- 
times the cows would stray and be gone several days. As illustrating the peculiar 
hardships of pioneer life, the following incident is given. Its truthfulness is vouched 
for by a prominent member of tlie first family. The exact date of the occurrence is 
not known, and it matters not, for such a thing could have occurred in any summer 
from 18.36 to 1840. Do doubt, however. It occurred soon after the advent of the family 
to the settlement. 

Mr. Farnham's family, at the time of its arrival in tlie Valley, consisted of himself 
and wife, two daugliters and his mother. They brought two cows, and those cows 
were the main dependence for nourishing the family. These cows, like other cows of 
tlie settlement, strayed off occasionally, and to use the peculiar language of the fron- 
tier, "laid out." At one time Mr. Farnham's cows were gone several days, until, 
indeed, the family were reduced to tlie verge of starvation. Farnham had traveled 
miles through the wilderness, looking in vain for his cows. At last Farnham and his 
wife started out for another look. After several hours search, they had lost them- 



WRiGllT. 121 



selves and were unable to find their way out. They sat down and talked the matter 
over. They were lost in the woods, but they might as well die there as at home. 
They would die of starvation in either place, for they had not a mouthful of food, and 
gaunt starvation stared them in the face ; and talking the matter over, they cried. 
Reader, pardon the tears ; none can sympathize witli tliem l)ut those who know some- 
thing of pioneer life. But the tliought of tliat aged mother and tiiose loved daughters 
induced them to make another effort to find, not the cows, but themselves. While 
they were in the woods, hunger impelled the grandmother of the family to look about 
for a crust, "that she might eat it and die." Rmnmaging the contents of an old trunk, 
she found the string ends of several pieces of dried beef. While the beef was drying 
it had been suspended by strings down tlirougli the flesh at the small end or corner of 
the strips. When sufficiently dried it had been packed in this old trunk for trans- 
portation. In using tJie beef it had been sliced off, until but little was left but the 
string, or as the historic Irishman would say, nothing but the string and hole, and 
tliese strings and fag ends were allowed to remain in the trunk. The old lady gath- 
ered the pieces, chopped them very fine, soaked them soft, and then with a little salt 
and wild herbs she succeeded in making a very savory dish of pottage, and had it just 
ready for the table when the lost cow hunters appeared at the door. 

April the twelfth, 18.37, the first child was born in the township,— Marion, daughter 
of Russell and Ann Coman. Marion grew to womanhood in the township, was 
educated in its public schools, and after teaching several years went to California, 
whither an elder sister had preceded her, married Mr. Harrison Dayton, and died 
February 38th, 1870, leaving three children. 

The Rev. William E. Warner preached the first sermon in the township on the 
occasion of a funeral in the family of Mr. Pixley. For the early ministrations of 
the Word the pioneers were chiefly indebted to tlie Rev. Peter Foote, a preacher 
of the Protestant Methodist churcli. 

At the township meeting of the township of Pittsford, held in the spring of 1837, 
Russell Coman was elected a justice of the peace, and Royal Raymond was elected 
assessor, and Calvin Pixley constable. 

In the winter of 1&37-8 the inhabitants met to take the preliminary action looking 
to the organization of a township. They were unanimously of the opinion that it 
would be for the interest of the people to have towns eight and nine soutli organized 
into a separate township, and then the question naturally came up what it should be 
called. The Comans and their relatives formed a large part of the voting population, 
and these and some others were in favor of calling the township after the first family 
settled in the town. .Some were in favor of calling it Comansfield, and others 
simply Coman, but a vote decided in favor of Coman. The petition was drawn up 
and signed, ready for transmittal to the Honorable Legislature, then in session in 
Detroit. William K. Johnson, a man living near Lime Lake, and commonly called 
"Bill Johnson," was enti-usted to carry the packet as far as Ypsilanti, and there 
mail it. 

At the township meeting held in the township of Pittsford in April, 1838, Timothy 
Johnson and Calvin Pixley, of town eight south, were elected assessors ; but a few 
days after, tliey learned that the Legislature hatl, on the sixtli day of March, organized 
their township and called it Canaan. The Comans were surprised and chaginned. 
.Some of the others laughed over the change of name. Poor Bill Johnson was charged 
with forgery, but he stoutly denied the impeachment. In after years it was found 
out that his asseveration was only partly true. A niece of his did the mischief by con- 
verting the o of Coman into an a, and forming another a on tlie last stroke of the m, 
with his guilty knowledge, if not by liis direction. 

But Coman or Canaan, it was best to accept the situation; so the inhabitants were 
notified, and a township meeting held on the 24th day of April, 1838, at the house of 
Samuel Coman. Joseph Pixley was moderator, and Samuel Coman clerk. Officers 
elected: Timothy Johnson, supervisor; Arthur Lucas, town clerk; John M- 



122 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

Liekley, Calvin Pixley and Eansom T. Crofford, justices of the peace; Royal Ray- 
mond and William K. Johnson, assessors ; Ebenezer Pixley, collector; Evat Barber 
and Ebenezer Pixley, constables; Calvin Pixley, William Bennett and Michael 
Liekley, commissioners of highways; W. W. Johnson, Curtis Coman and Russell 
Coman, school inspectors; Joseph Pixley and Samuel Coman, directors of the poor. 
The justices were allotted terms as follows: Calvin Pixley, one year; Ransom T. 
Crofford, two years, and John M. Liekley, four years. Russell Coman was elected 
justice of the peace at the Pittsford town meeting in 1837, and as he had served one 
year and had three more to serve, but three justices were elected, none of them allot- 
ted the three year term. 

The first school in the township was in the Coman neighborhood, afterwards desig- 
nated the Black school house, now Prattville. The township now has excellent 
schools and school buildings. The forests have disappeared, and the township is fast 
developing into one of the finest in Hillsdale county. A large part of the township 
has a heavy clay soil, which only needs a generous system of underdrains to make 
it the most desirable wheat land in Southern Michigan. 

It has before been remarked that tlie people of this township were largely indebted 
to the Rev. Peter Foote for ministerial services. His earnest representations made 
to the Protestant Methodist conference induced the sending of Father Milligan, in 
1843, to organize a permanent work. Under his ministration many persons were con- 
verted, and a church organized. He was succeeded by the Rev. D. C. Oaks, and then 
other ministers followed until, for some cause, the Protestant Methodists withdrew 
from the field. 

By act of the Legislature approved February S4th, 1844, Canaan became Wright. 

On the 11th day of March, 1855, a Wesleyan Methodist church was organized at the 
school house in district number four. The persons participating in the organization 
were Hiram N. Barstow, Philo H. Stroud, J. N. Wilcox, J. L. Farnham, Rev. J. B. 
Hart, Rev. C. ]^. Preston, Stephen W. Coman, Matilda Barstow, Amelia Coman, Re- 
becca Hart, Ann Eliza Preston. Hiram N. Barstow was appointed leader, and J. N. 
Wilcox and S. W. Coman stewards. From this beginning the Weslej^an Methodist 
denomination has grown into a wumerous body. They have a church at South 
Wright, and still keep up their aijpointments in district number four. 

But earlier than this Wesleyan organization, the Baptists organized a church in the 
northwestern part of the township, at what is known as Lickley's Corners, and about 
1855 they erected a church building. 

The other churches of the township are the Disciples, or Campbellites, the United 
Brethren, at South Wright, and the Congregationalists, at Prattville. 

South Wright is the elder village of the township, and has besides the three 
churches mentioned, a mill, two stores and a hotel. The farmers of the township 
have a grange organization which holds its meetings at South AVright. 

Prattville is quite a modern village and has one mill, a store and a church. 

The township has furnished the county a county clerk, W. W. Brewster, and has 
given the State two legislators, Hon. Russell Coman and Hon. Leonidas Hubbard. 
Its list of supervisors has the following names: 1838, Timothy Johnson; 1839, Rus- 
sell Coman; 1840 and '41. John M. Liekley; 1843, Tiiomas C.Sawyer; 1843, Russell 
Coman; 1844, Timothy Johnson; 1845, '46 and '47, Russell Coman; 1848, Thomas C. 
Sawyer; 1849, Timothy Johnson; 1850, '.51 and '53, Sawyer B. Downer; 1853, Russell 
Coman; 1854, William W. Brewster; 18.55, IraC. Smith; 18.56, Lawrence Rheubottom; 
1857 and '58, William W. Brewster ; 1859, Lawrence Rheubottom ; 1860 and '61, Edward 
C.Brewster; 1863 and '63, Leonidas Hubbard; 1864 and '65, Amos W. Clark; 1866, 
Edwin Johnson; 1S67 and '68, Leonidas Hubbard; 1869 and '70, Edward C. Brewster; 
1871, Ambrose M. Burroughs; 1873, Jacob Shaneour; 1873, Ambrose M. Bm-roughs ; 
1874, Jacob Shaneour ; 1875, Hial Johnson ; 1876, Edward C. Brewster. 



RANGE TWO WEST. 123 



Xm. RANGE TWO WEST. 

As announced in the introduction, slcetches of the townships of Moscow, Adams, 
Jefferson, Ransom and Amboy will now be given. They are only sketches, however, 
and do not pretend to exhaust the subject— the history of the early settlements : 

MOSCOW. 

The first settler in the township was Peter Benson, in 18:U. The second was Judge 
Lyman Blackmar, 1833; he lived in the township until his death. Next followed 
Benjamin Fowle, Charles Fowle, Aaron Spencer, Daniel Aiken, etc. Mrs. Brown, 
mother of Mrs. Daniel Aiken, died in 1834. That summer Delilah Blackmar taught a 
school in a private house. That fall a school house was built, and Seth Kempton 
taught the winter school. Thus much by way of resume of what has preceded. 

Religious Societies.— The Rev. Mr. Colclazer is said to have been the first 
preacher of the gospel in the township of Moscow. But previous to this, however, 
Judge Lyman Blackmar, then a licensed Methodist exhorter, had gathered a class on 
Moscow Plains and held services in a small frame barn. This class was organized in 
183.5 or '36. Only one member, Mrs. Sarah Camburn, is now living. A church build- 
ing four miles west of the village of Moscow was begun in 1853 and finished in 1854. 
Another class was formed, at the village of Moscow, in 1853; in 1854 they built a 
church, which in 1874 was refinished, making it as good as new and adding greatly to 
its beauty. 

A church of the Associate Reformed Presbyterians was formed in 1838 or '39 
and a church building was erected some two years later. They were firm be- 
lievers in Divine decrees of election and reprobation, believed in infant baptism, and 
were close communion. The church became extinct by deaths and removals. Their 
tfUilding yet stands, but is used for other purposes. 

A Baptist organization was formed about the same time, (18.39,) but they built no 
church. 

The JSIoscow Mills are situated on the east branch of the Kalamazoo river, one mile 
south of Moscow village, on the site of the first saw mill in this part of the country, 
built by Benjamin Fowle in 1836. The saw mill was rebuilt in 1859, and a run of 
light stones added, which did some gi-inding. The present flouring mill was built in 
1865, by Orrin Fowle, son of the original mill man. The water power was afterward 
supplemented by steam power. The engine being a W^oodbury No. 8, has of itself 
sufficient power to drive all the machinery, therefore the mill is never idle ; when 
water is plenty it is used as a matter of economy, but usually the saw mill furnishes 
sufficient fuel for the steam power. The mill is only a little more than a mile from 
Jerome, a station on the Detroit, Hillsdale & Southwestern railroad, and with an addi- 
tional run of stone might greatly increase its business. 

SuPEKVisoRS.— The township was organized in the spring of 1835, but the records 
of the township meetings for the years 18a5, '36 and '37 appear to have been lost. Sub- 
sequent years the township was represented on the board of supervisors as follows: 
18.38, Zachariah Van Duzer; 1839. Orthnill Allen; 1840, Daniel A. Wisner; 1841, Zach- 
ariahVan Duzer; 1843, '43 and '44, Brooks Gale; 184.5, Zachariah Van Duzer; 184C, 
Osmon B. Blackmar; 1847 and '48, Joel Moore; 1849, Zachariah Van Duzer; 1850 and 
'51, Wallace H. Godfrey; 1853, Benjamin Fowle, 18.53, Orlando C. Gale; 18.54, Benj. J. 
Kenyon; 1855, Horatio N. Rowley; 1856, Abram Ramsdell; 1857, Horatio N. Rowley; 
1858, Henry C. Mallory; 1859, Horatio N. Rowley; 1860, Wallace H. Godfrey; 1861 and 
'63, Joel Moore; 1863, '64 and '65, Horatio N. Rowley; 1866 and '67, Albert Kenyon; 
1868 to '73, both inclusive, Elisha C. L. Mumford ; 1873, '74 and '75, Parker B. Shepard ; 
1876, William Armstrong. 

The township has furnished one judge for the bench of Hillsdale county. 



124 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



ADAMS. 

I This to\vnship was settled principally through Moscow. It was for a year a part 
of the township of Moscow, and therefore the history of the two are somewhat 
blended. Adams was organized as a separate township in the spring of 18:36. It is 
believed the following named persons were then residents: Salmon Sharp, Abijah 
Smith, Henry N. Wilcox, Alpheus Hill, W. W. Jackson, John M. Foote, Milton Foote, 
Stephen Birdsell, William Cutler, Peter Sprowls, Henry Huff, Joseph B. Dowley, 
Luke Bross, David Bagley, Roswell Parker, Reuben Fuller, K. J. Fuller, Nicholas 
Worthington, John O. Swift, William C. Swift, Easton Wilbur, James Kirby, Horace 
Hitchcock, Seth Kempton, lloderick Wells, Orrin Blackmar, Benjamin :Moore, Joseph 
W. Atard. 

The first township meeting was held on Monday, the fourth day of April, 1836. 
Salmon Sharp was moderator, and Nicholas Worthington clerk. Officers elected:— 
Salmon Sharp, supervisor ; Seth Kempton, clerk ; Benjamin Moore, William Cutler 
and William W. Jackson, assessors; Nicholas Worthington, William W. Jackson and 
Easton Wilbur, commissioners of schools; Stephen Birdsell and Joseph W. Atard,. 
commissioners of highways; Joseph B. Dowley and Julius O. Swift, directors of the 
poor; Easton Wilbur, collector. 

At a special election held on the l:2th day of Se])tember, to elect a delegate to the 
State convention, sixteen votes were polled. 

It will be perceived by scanning the list of officers elected that the people of the 
township of Adams were strict constructionsits and elected officers under the Terri- 
torial laws, and not under the State constitution. This may account for the absence 
of justices of the peace and school inspectors. 

The first mill built in tlie township was built by Swift & Co., in 1837 or '38. Soon 
after, another mill was built, on section five. Afterwards mills were built, one at 
North Adams by John Lane, one in the east part of the town by L. H. Updyke, and 
one in the south part of the town by Keruey & Howe. 

Supervisors :— 18:36 to '40, both inclusive, Salmon Sharp; 1841, David Bagley; 1843, 
Ethel Judd; 1843 and '14, Peter Gates; 184.5 and '46, David Bagley; 1847, Norman S. 
Sharp; 18+S, Easton Wilbur; 1849, Andrew Wade ; 18.50, Asa S. Edwards ; 1851, Nor- 
man S. Sharp; 1852, John M. Foote; 18.53, Easton AYilbur; 1854, Peter Gates; 18.55, 
Nelson Nethaway; 1856, William Cutler; 1857, Nelson Nethaway; 18,58, Andrew- 
Wade; 18-59, Nicholas G. Vreeland ; 1860 and '61, James S. Fowler; 1862 and '63, Nelson 
Nethaway; 1864 to '&S, both inclusive, Ethel Judd; 1869, John Phillips elected, re- 
signed and Ethel Judd appointed to vacancy ; 1870 to '74, both inclusive, James Foote ; 
1875, Albert Kenyon ; 187(), Saxton Bagley. 

Township Clerks:— 18:56 to '39, both inclusive, Seth Kempton; 1840, Nicholas 
Worthington; 1841, '42 and '43, William D. Moore; 1844 to '48, both inclusive, Nelson 
Nethaway; 1849, David Bagley ; 18.50, W^arner Spoon er; 1851, David C. Fuller; 1853, 
James H. Fowler; 18.53, Nicholas G. "Vreeland; 1&54, Firman Huff; 1855 and '56, Allen 
Kinney ; 18.57 to '61, both inclusive, Saxton S. Bagley ; 1862, '63 and 64, Henry Wade ; 
1865, Darius J. Thompson; 1866, Saxton S. Bagley; 1867 and '68, John B. Kemp; 1869, 
David M. Foote; 1870, '71 and '72, Thomas J. Nethaway; 1873 to '76, both inclusive, 
George Kinney. 

The first school house was built in 1838, in the district now known as number six, 
and Mary Driscoll taught the first school. Now the township has nine school houses, 
and the people are proud of their schools. 

The Methodist Episcopal church is the oldest, having an organization older than 
the township. The other churches are the Baptist, Congregationalist, Christian, and 
Wesleyan Methodist. 

The township has one hotel and one saloon, both in the village of North Adams. 
The village, which was nothing more than a country four corners until the comple- 
tion of the Detroit, Hillsdale and Indiana railroad, is growing rapidly, and bids fair 
to become a business point of some importance. 



RANGE TWO WEST. 125 



JEFFERSON. 



This to\vn, first named Florida, was first a part of the townsliip of Moscow, and 
afterwards of Adams, but the Legislature of 1837 organized towns seven, eight and 
nine south into a new township, named it Florida, and directed the first township 
meeting to be held at the house of William Duryea. Mr. Chauncey Leonard gives 
the following list as containing the names of every voter in the township at the time 
of its organization: John Perrin, John Perrin, Jr., S. W. Perrin, J. 11. Thorn, M. B. 
Howell, William Duryea, Peter Failing, James Bullard, R. McNeil, Jr., Rev. Jacob 
Ambler, Chauncey Leonard, W. S. Coon, Rowland Bird, J. H. Springer, James P. 
Howell, H. P. Adams, 11. Iladley, William Heacox, O. B. Coffin, William Green, Fred- 
erick Duryea, II. Bullard, R. McNeal, Sr., A. McNeal, Fourtelett O. Anderson, H. 
.Black, Perez Demmick, A. Orcutt, John M. Duryea. 

The township meeting was held April third, 1837, on a log near William Duryea's 
house. The proceedings of that meeting, as related by Mr. Leonard, are very amus- 
ing. There was but one party, no ballots or ballot-box, and they held the caucus 
simultaneous with the election. They caucused among themselves as to whom it 
was best to have for supervisor, and having determined that point, a motion was 
made that he be elected, which of course was carried, the vote being vive voce, and 
then the same process was gone through with for each of the other offices. 

The official records show the following officers elected : Henry P. Adams, super- 
visor; Chauncey Leonard, township clerk; James Ballard William Ileacox, Alonzo 
McNeal, assessors; John M. Duryea, collector; Horatio Hadlcy and Michael B. 
Howell, directors of the poor; Orrin Anderson, Frederick Duryea and Robert McNeal, 
. Jr. , commissioners of highways ; Wait Chapin, William S. Coon and John Perren, Jr., 
school inspectors; William Duryea, William S. Coon, Henry P. Adams and Horatio 
Hadley, justices of the peace ; John M. Duryea and Orrin Anderson, constables. 

The justice? drew terms as follows : Horatio Hadley, one year; Henry P. Adams, 
two years; William S. Coon, three years; William Duryea, four years. 

A special township meeting was held on the fourth day of May to elect a supervisor, 
and the Rev. Jacob Ambler was elected. 

The first school house was built on section four, in 1837, and Emeline Sears taught 
the first school. The first frame scliool house Avas built in district number two, in 
1840 or '41. 

In 1849 the name of the township was changed to Jefferson. 

The township is well supplied with mills for sawing and grinding. Chauncey 
Leonard owned a saw mill on the present site of tlie Wood mill, in 1846. The grist 
mill was built by Wood about seventeen years ago. There are several other mills in 
the township. 

Supervisors :— 1837, Henry P. Adams to May 4th ; from May 4th, Jacob Ambler ; 1838, 
Jacob Ambler; 1839 and '40, William Heacox; 1841, William Duryea; 1843, Chauncey 
Leonard; 1843, William Heacox; 1844, Chauncey Leonard; 1845 and '40, James H, 
Thorn; 1847 and '4«, Warren Thompson; 1849 and '50, James H. Thorn; 1851 and '52, 
Charles D. Luce ; 1853, William Heacox ; lasi, James H. Thorn ; 1&55 and '56, Henry F. 
Sutton ; 1857, Moses Rumsey ; 1858 and '59, Henry F. Sutton ; 1860, Charles D. Luce ; 
1861, Joseph Slaight; 1863, Silas A. Wade ; 1863 and '64, James Leonardson ; 1865, Moses 
Rumsey; 1866, '67 and '68, James Leonardson; 1869 '70 and '71, Charles D. Luce; 1873, 
Moses Rumsey ; 1873, James Leonardson ; 1874, '75 and '76, Charles D. Luce. Mr. Luce 
. has also represented his district in the State Legislature. 

TOWN EIGHT SOUTH, TWO WEST. 

The town described in the title to this section was first a part of the township of 
Moscow, 1835, of Adams, 1836, and of Florida, 1837-40, 
Rowland Bird waa the first settler in the town, his advent to its wilds bearing date 



123 TILE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

March the eighth, 1836, while the town was yet a part of Moscow, but it is fair to 
presume the authorities of Moscow Ivuew nothing of liis coming. Mr. Bird was a 
native of Massachusetts. In 1833, after a sojourn in the State of New Yorlc, he came 
to the Territory of Michigan and settled in or near Sylvania. During the Toledo war 
he determined to be an inhabitant of Michigan at all hazards, removed from the dis- 
puted territory, and settled in town eight south. Mr. Bird's family consisted of his 
wife and seven children,— three sons and four daughters,— and a young man named 
Leander Candee. The next family settled in the town was Orrin Cobb, on the west 
line. Thomas Burt, family and brother, settled in 18.37 or '38 probably, as he speaks 
of stopping over night at the Medina tavern and witli Augustus Finney at Lanesville. 
The Burts were English people. Thomas, when he first came to America, settled on 
the Mauraee river, near Perrysburgh. A few years after, he returned to England, 
and then his wife and brother came over with him. Having sold his Ohio pos- 
sessions, he sought a home in the wilderness of Michigan. When they came to 
Medina, on their way in, they were penniless. Mr. Burt explained his situation and 
was cared for as well as though he had money. At Lanesville the same course was 
])ursued with like results. The family carried their own provisions, and only needed 
shelter for themselves and shelter and provender for their beasts. Near the north- 
west corner of Pittsford tlie family were left while the men pushed on to build a 
cabin, and very soon they were settled on their own land. A few years later they 
were able to repay the wortliy landlords for their kindness. 

The way having been opened, the town was settled quite rapidly, and some settlers 
found their way into town nine south. 

Tlie first school was taught in a shanty on the northwest quarter of section eight, 
by Lucinda Bird, in the summer of 1838. Three families sent to this school,— Orren 
Cobb, Israel S. Hodges and Rowland Bird. 

The same year, Mr. Bird built the first frame barn. Some of the men who helped 
at the raising came from Jonesville for that purpose. 

Indeed, the settlers of that town know what hardships and privations mean. One 
of them desiring sash for the windows of his new log house, walked to Jonesville, 
bought five sash, paid all his money, laslied the sash to his back, and returned with- 
out having a mouthful to eat. Another man desiring some seed oats, started out, 
accompanied by his thirteen-year-old boy, in search of some ; he bought three bushels 
tliree miles west of Hudson. Two bushels were put in one bag and one bushel in the 
other. The bags were shouldered respectively by father and son, and carried the 
whole distance home. 

In the year 1839 a child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Babcock,— the first birth in the 
township. March the eighth the first death occurred. It was Allen Bird, aged six- 
teen years. He died just three years after the arrival of the family in the town. The 
Rev. Jacob Ambler, of Osseo, preached the funeral sermon, — the first sermon in the 
town. 

In March, 1840, occurred the first marriage in the territory now embraced within 
the limits of Ransom. Leander Candee and Miss Lorinda, eldest daughter of Mr. 
Rowland Bird. It is said to be the first because, although Miss Drake, of town nine 
south had been married the year previous, yet as both towns were then Florida, and 
the scene of the marriage is now in Amboy, it is difficult to see how it can be credited 
to Rowland or its successor, Ransom. 

The inhabitants having become numerous,— about one hundred,— the the Legisla- 
tiu-e of Michigan, at its session in the winter of 1840, was petitioned to organize towns 
eight and nine south into a new township. By an act approved April 1st, the town- 
ship was organized and named 

ROWLAND. 

The first township meeting was held on the sixth day of April, 1840, at the liouse of 
Alexander Palmer. James IT. Babcock was moderator, and Israel S. Hodges secre- 



RANGE TWO WEST. 



127 



tary, (so says the record), and Rowland Bird, On-in Cobb and Rufus 11. Rathbuni 
were inspectors of election. Officers elected : Leander Candee, supervisor ; Israel 
S. Hodges, township clerk; Rowland Bird, treasurer; Matthew Armstrong and Row- 
land Bird, assessors; Alexander Palmer, collector ; Matthew Armstrong, Israel S. 
Jlodges and James H. Babcock, school inspectors ; Joseph ifowe and William Phillips, 
directors of the poor; James H. Babcock, Alexander Palmer and iJenry Cornell, 
commissioners of highways ; Rowland Bird, James if. Babcock, Matthew Armstrong 
and jEfeury Cornell, justices of the peace; Alexander Palmer, Joseph Phillips, Amos 
S. Drake and Alexander Findley, constables. The justices elect drew terms as fol- 
lows: iTenry Cornell, one year; Matthew Armstrong, two years; Rowland Bird, 
three years ; and James H. Babcock, four years. The township voted live dollars 
bounty for wolves, and one hundred and twenty-five dollars for contingent expenses. 

On the ninth day of April, 1840, Mrs. Candee died,— the bride of a month filled 
the second grave in the township. The same day her sister, Eunice, the youngest 
daughter of Mr. Rowland Bird, died. In the September following, the 18th day, Mr. 
Bird's youngest son died, aged six years, and on the 23d day of the same mouth Row- 
land Bird died, aged forty-seven years. 

In 1839 or '40 the first school house in the township was built. It was in district 
number two, near the site of the present school house. There are now eight school 
districts in the township, numbered from one to nine, except there is no number four.. 
Three of these districts have brick, and five have frame school houses. The first 
frame school house was built in district number seven in 1844. 

In October, 1841, the first fire occurred in the township. C. B. Shepard, then of 
Adams, was preparing to become an inhabitant of this township. He had put up the 
body of a house and covered it; he hauled a load of lumber for doors and floors from 
the Kidder mill in the township of Ifudson. This he unloaded near the shanty he 
had built for a temporary shelter, and went to Adams to spend the Sunday and bring 
a load of goods on his return ]\Ionday. But when he returned, his shanty and lumber 
were ashes. He supposed it to have been occasioned by the accidental explosion of 
some gunpowder he had deposited in a boiler. 

In 1848 began a series of skirmishing for township name, and it was not until 1850 
that the township had a settled name. From April 1st, 1848, to April 2d, 1849, it was 
kjiown as Ransom ; from April 2d, 1849, to March 28th, 1850, it was called Bird, but 
since 18.50 it has uniformly been known as 

RANSOM. 

In 1848 a Congregationalist church was organized, and 1855 that church built a house 
of worship, and since that, ehxu-ches have been built, until now the Methodist Episco- 
pal and _the Seventh-Day Adventists have each one, the United Brethren two, and 
they are preparing to build a third. 

Dr. Lee was the first resident physician. He settled in Rowland about 1842. He 
also opened the first store in the township, and Ichabod Steadman kept the second, 
or the first in Ransom village. 

The following comparison of the Ransom of to-day with the same territory in 1830 
is from the pen of Samuel B. Brown, her local historian : 

"In 1836, forty years ago. Ransom was an unbroken forest,— not one acre of cleared 
land, but all heavy timber. Of the 19,185 acres of land in Ransom, 12,074 acres are 
improved, 2,111 acres are included in the highways and partial improvements, and 
5,000 acres are wood. The improvements, including highways, average nine acres to 
every inhabitant of the town. Forty years ago people traveling in Ransom with a 
team had to cut and clear a road; to-day there are in Ransom seventy miles of high- 
way, occupying 560 acres of land. The inhabitants of Ransom have invested in their 
highways a capital of $TO,400, and are expending annually $2,000 in repairing them. 
(It is no part of this history to state whether the roads are as good as the investment 



J 28 THE BEAN CKEEK VALLEY. 



ought to funiisli.) Forty years ago there was not a rod of fence in Ransom; to-day 
there are 430 miles of fence, at 50 cents a rod is S160 a mile, malting $67,300, the cost 
of fences, not including any repairs. Forty years ago there was one dwelling house 
in Ransom ; to-day there are 341. Then there was one family ; to-day there are 346. 
Then there were ten inhabitants in the town; latest statistics give us 1,539. The cen- 
sus of 1874 furnish us with items of interest, some of which we will record. In 1873 
1,963 acres of wheat were harvested in Ransom, yielding 34,871 bushels, 13 bushels 
per acre ; 1,853 acres of corn were harvested, yielding 99,660 bushels of ears, 54 bush- 
els per acre. In 1874 there were 533 acres of apple orchards in Ransom ; sheep, 1,848; 
hogs, 1,138; horses, 577; mules, 5; oxen, 46; cows, 886; wool sheared in 1873,16,079 
lbs. ; pork sold, 183,.504 lbs. ; cheese made, 49,883 lbs. ; butter made, 89,580 lbs. In 
comparing the productions of Ransom in 1873 with the productions of Hillsdale counti^ 
in 1840, we have the following results: In 1840 JFiillsdale county produced 80,350 
bushels of wheat; Ransom in 1873 produced 34,871 bushels of wheat. In 1840 the 
county produced 82,757 bushels of corn ; Ransom in 1873 produced 99,660 bushels of 
corn. The dairy product of Hillsdale county in 1840 was worth §5,62^5; the dairy pro- 
duct of Ransom in 1873 was 5l;31,153.75." 

Ransom furnished for the armies of the Republic, during the great rebellion, one 
hundred and forty-three men, forty of whom were killed, or have died of wounds re- 
ceived, or disease contracted in the service. The following were among the number 
■ enlisted: James Tarseney. Riley Ainsworth, Hiram Hartson, Ira Williams, Emery 

Yost, Yost, John Williams, Horace Doty, Darius Howe, Marshal Tooth. Eph- 

raim Baker, Charles Baker, C. Button, Samuel Wheaton, William Kelley, John Dur- 

gan, William Palmer, William Britton, Sidney Palmer, Hall, Andrew Booth, 

Hollis Hammond, Higley, Charles Coppins, Samuel Halsted, Geo. Dewey, Orrin 

Olds, E. II. Goodrich, J. M. Bailey, William Doyle, Oscar Barnes, William Clark, 
Amos Smith, Charles Hartson, Edgar Ainsworth, Richard Hart, James Burt, William 
Pettit. S. Bliler, John Smatts, Hiram Ilurd, H. Perkins, Chas. Olds, Capt. Hill, Wm. 
Rose, Geo. W. Van Gander, Loren Hammond, Geo. H. Cornell, John Palmer, Isaac 
Brown, James H. Thiel, Kincade Shepardson, D. W. Litchfield, J. Schermerhorn. 
William H. Shepard, Michael Howland, Lewis Deuel, JohnCroop, Alfred Deuel, Wm. 
Liddall, Willis Woods, Loren Whitney, John Williams, Sidney Dodge, Daniel Clem- 
ens, Sheldon Carey, Daniel Brogan, Henry Common, John C. Cooper, William Man- 
ning, John Tarseney, Thomas Plumley, George Brewster, Thomas Tarseney, Andrew 
Tarseney, Quiucy Britton, Aaron Boyer, Michael Helmick, James D. Cornell, Horace 
Gay, Warren Perham, William Mapes, Geo. Mapes, Aaron Smith, Cornelius Boing- 
ton, James Hoover, Sanuiel Kingsley, Geo. R. Palmer, Benj. S. Ward, Collins Wilcox. 
William Y oungs, T. C. Baker, Chas. Hannibal, Isaac Smith, H. Bailey, Orsamus Doty. 
Harry Mott, David Litchfield, John Ainsworth, William H. Allen, Samuel Cressey, 
Edwin Camp, George Casterline, Jeptha Casterline, Henry Tary, John Hosman, Geo. 
Hart, Frank Hoover, Elias Hoover, Thomas Lozier, Israel Lozier, Benj. Olds, Asahel 
Parks, Charles Parks, Frank Runell, Lewis Smith, Orville Thompson, E. W. Warner, 
Fred Olds, Jacob Rorrick, William Agnew, George W. Booth, Williani Lile, Andrew 
Crandall, Aaron Stocker, Jonas Smith, William Young, A. Howell, W. Young, E. P. 
Barson, George N. Sacrider, I. C. Hinds, Frank Smith. 

Accidents.— In 1851, Mr. Featherly was killed by a falling limb while in the woods 
east of Danforth, Bugbee's Corners. In 1860, Mr. Joles was killed by lightning. Not 
far from that time, old Mr. Siddle was killed while falling a tree in the southwest 
part of the town. A young man by the name of Ward was killed by falling on to a 
pitchfork, in the south part of the town. The explosion of a steam boiler in a saw- 
mill, on the farm of Charles Burt, in the soutlieast part of the town, in 1873, killed 
four, and injured a number of others. 

But one case of homicide has occurred. February 6th, 1876, Jacob Stevick killed 
Horace A. Burnett. He was tried in the Hillsdale circuit coiu-t, convicted of man- 
slaughter, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. 



RAKGE TWO WEST. 129 



Supervisors of Rowland: 1840, Leander Candee; 1841, Nelson Doty; 1843, Thomas 
Burt; 1843 and '44, Nelson Doty; 1845, Israel S. Hodges; 1846 and '47, Thomas Burt. 
Ransom— 1848, Leander Candee. Bird— 1849, William Burnham, jr. Ransom— 1850, 
Thomas Burt; 1851, John J. Andridge ; 1852, William E. Warner ; 1853, Thomas Burt; 
1854, Israel B. Norris; 1855, Jared B. Norrls; 1856 and '57, Nelson Doty; 1858, Lemuel 
J. Squire; 1859, Ephraim C. Turner ; 1860, Warren McCutcheon; 1861, Henry W. Rus- 
sell; 1863 to '68, Warren McCutcheon; 1869 and '70, Miles G. Teachout; 1871 and 'Ti, 
Warren McCutcheon; 1873 and '74, Samuel B. Brown; 1875 and '76, William II. H. 
Pettit. 

AMBOY. 

Only the eastern part of this township comes within the scope of our undertaking. 
Amos S. Drake settled in town nine south, two west, in December, 18.38. but the 
town settled quite rapidly. 

In February, 1839, Sarah N. Drake died ; her funeral sermon was preached by El- 
der Stout, who, at that time, lived in the vicinity of Bird Lake. It was the first ser- 
mon preached in that town. 

In December, the same year, Samuel Carl and Jane Drake were married by Mr. 
Fowler, of Camden. 

When Rowland was organized, town nine soutli was attached, and shared in all the 
mutations that township endured. 

In 1850, all that part of towns nine south, ranges two and three west, lying within 
the State of Michigan, and one tier of sections off the south side of town eight south, 
ranges two and three west, were organized into a new to^^^lship, and called Amboy. 
Nearly all the improvements have been made since that time. 

The grist-mill, owned by Waldron & Hall, was built about thirty years ago, but 
there was a saw-mill there several years earlier. Besides this, there is the Higby & 
Osborn mill, the Manly or Lewis mill, and the Bryan mill. There has been a Chilson 
mill, but it has ceased to work. 

There are two churches, the Baptist and Methodist, and both have neat and com- 
modious houses. 

The first township meeting was held on the 23d day of April, ISTiO, at the house of 
Amos Drake. John King was moderator, and Gideon G. King clerk. Amos S. Drake 
and John P. Corey were inspectors of the election. Officers elected : Nathan Dewey, 
supervisor; Gideon G. King, clerk; Charles Clark, treasurer; Nathan Edinger, John 
King and Charles S. Baker, justices of the peace; Henry Prestage, John Goforth and 
Gideon F. King, commissioners of highways ; Charles Farley and William Drake, 
school inspectors; Amos S. Drake and John King, directors of the poor, and Joseph 
Philbrick, Charles H. Barton and Paden Marshal, constables. 

Supervisors: 1850, Nathan S. Dewey ; 1851 and '53, Gideon G. King; 1853, William 
Gay; 1854, Charles S. Baker; 1855, William Gay; 1856 and '57, Gideon G. King; 1858 
and '59, Charles Farley; 1860, Gideon F. King; 1861 and '63, William Drake; 1863 to 
"67, both inclusive. Augustus G. McClellan; 1868 and '69, William Drake; 1870, Au- 
gustus G. McClellan; 1871 and '73, William Drake; 1873, Augustus G. McClellan; 
1874, Augustus G. McClellan, until he died, and then William Drake; 1875, James M. 
Baker; 1876, James Battel. 



SUPPLEMENT. i3i> 



SUPPLEMENT. 



HUDSON. 

Boots and Shoks.— In the early years of this township, the articles mentioned at- 
the head of this article were found in all general stores, and there were several shoe^ 
makers who made to order such articles in this line as could not be supplied from the- 
stores; but there was no distinctively boot and shoe store until Illland and Clark R.. 
Beach came to the village, in the spring of 1849, and opened a boot and shoe house- 
The house first took the name of II. Beach, and has been continued by one or th& 
other of the brothers under various styles, sometimes with partners, sometimes alon©^ 
until the present time it bears the name ©f C. K. Beach. 

Alfred A. FUiney, the only child of Augustus Finney, esq., settled on a fann on-, 
.section seven, Hudson, about the time of his marriage with Miss Harriet Kidder, eld- 
est daughter of Iliram Kidder. Soon after the discovery of gold in California, per- 
haps in 1849, he went to that State. He made the journey by sail vessel, around Cape 
Horn. Soon after his return, he established the old Elephant boot and shoe house- 
He served one term as justice of the peace, but the most of his time was devoted t©f 
his store. He died Sept. 8th, 1871, but his business has been continued by his only 
child, Mr. Byron A. Finney. 

Cakkiage Manuf-actokies.— In the early years of Hudson township, seyeraJ- 
men worked at wagon-building, but the first establishment that deserved the name of 
a manufactory was that began by Alexander M. Ocobock, on the present site of the 
spoke factory, in or about the year IS.'SS. Mr. Perley Chase was associated with him* 
until tlie spring of 18.57, when Chase was .succeeded by Munson. The same spring,, 
carriage-building was abandoned by Ocobock A Munson, and they turned their at- 
tention to the manufacture of hubs and bent work. 

Oem-ge W. Carter, in September, 18.54, came to Hudson, and commenced black- 
smithing. He did the ironing of carriages for Ocobock & Cha.se. until, in the spring 
of 18.57, he bought out tlieir carriage business and commenced manufacturing on his 
own account. He yet continues the business. His original one-story wood buildings - 
have given plaoe to large two-story brick buildings. The change was necessitated by, 
the increase of his business, managed with skill and care, always under his own per- 
sonal suiwrvision. 

The original foundry was erected by Samuel Eddy for Loren Chapin, and It now. 
forms a part of the Elliott House. Tlie original drug store was kept by Hall &• 
Wells. 

Among the business houses of to-day are the following: Two banks; four dry 
goods, eleven grocery, four hardware, four drug, two furniture, four boot and shoe 
houses; one hat, one tobacco, one tea and one jewelry house; tliree clothiers, two 
bakeries; six millinery, four barber, one gun, three cooper, five blacksmith, one tailor 
and two paint shops; one pump, one fanning mill, one tub, two carriage, one wheel- 
barrow manufactory; one machine shop, three planing mills, three lumber yards,, 
two liveries, one saw mill, eight physicians, two dentists, eight lawyers, two artists, 
two hair-dressers, four insurance offices, five saloons, three meat market;;, one butter 
and egg store, four hotels, two book stores and two printing olWces. 

By the census of 1874, Hudson township had 3,937 inhabitants, of which 1,946 were 
males and 1,981 were females; excess of females, 3.5. Of the males, 25 were between 
seventy-five and ninety years of age; 4:iS between forty-five and seventy-five; 60:2 be- 
tween twenty-one and forty-five; 453 between ten and twenty-one years of age, wliile 



132 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

434 were under ten. Of the females, 41 were upwards of seventy-five years of age ; 474 
fcetween forty and seventy-five ; 722 between eighteen and forty ; sei between ten and 
eighteen years of age, while 383 were under ten. 

Eight hundred and fifty of the males over twentj'-on« years of age were married; 51 
v^ere widowers or divorced persons ; 159 had never been married, and one person only, 
•under twenty-one years of age, was living in the marriage relation. Of females over 
■eighteen years of age, 824 were married; 171 widows or divorced persons; 274 had 
«ever beeii married, and 9 persons under eighteen years of age were living in the 
inarriage relation. 

We had enongh marriageable maidens to mate our bachelors and 83 more, while we 
had maidens and widows enough to mate our bachelors and widowers, and 203 more. 

Against the 451 unmarried males under twenty-one years of age, being prepared by 
time for the marriage state, we had only 352 females under eighteen years of age. 

In 1873, there were 2(5 marriages, 37 deaths and 77 births. There were 4 deaf and 
dumb persons, 1 blind and 4 insane. Twenty-six persons were of African descent. 

In 1873 there were 3,470 acres of wheat and l,9:i8 acres of corn harvested. There 
were 3,346 acres of wheat to be liarvested in 1874. 

It had 614 acres of peach, pear, apple, plum and cherry orchards; 10 acres of 
raspberry bushes ; 11 of strawberry vines ; 5 of currant and gooseberry bushes, and 30 
acres of melons and garden vegetables. 

In 1873, 10,432 lbs. of wool were sheared; 288,020 lbs. of pork, 44,945 lbs. of cheese 
and 209,502 lbs. of butter were marketed. 

In the same year, 42,365 bushels of wheat, 96,945 bushels of corn and 21,000 bushels 
of other kinds of grain ; 35,525 bushels of apples, 71 bushels of pears, 51 bushels of 
•cherries, 27 cwt. of grapes, 27 bushels of strawberries, 35 bushels of currants and 
gooseberries, and 463 bushels of melons and garden vegetables were harvested. 

There were 20,650 pounds of fruit dried; 4,380 pounds of maple sugar made; 7,.555 
•fcushels of potatoes raised; 830 barrels of cider made, and 2,586 tons of hay raised and 

<5Ut. 

It had 214 persons employed in its manufacturing establishments, and the amount 
of capital invested was $ia5,500. 

It had only two flouring mills, with two run of stone each, and four saw mills, 
worth $7,300, which sawed in 1873, 530,000 feet of lumber. 

CoBRECTiONS.— As was stated in the introduction to this book, it is impossible to 
make it free from errors, especially in dates and in Christian names. A few have al- 
' ready been discovered. That many more exist, seems very probable. There are also 
^some typographical errors, but they are few, and easily corrected by the reader. 

Hudson: On page 84, the last clause of the eighth paragraph reads that sundry per- 
,sons were "admitted to membership on probation."' It should liave read, "were ad- 
«nitted to membership on profession of faith." 

Page 81: In second line of fourth paragraph, for "Tuesday" read "Wednesday." 

Page 91: Fifth paragraph, last clause, for "made it," read "it made." 

3Iedina: Page 51, first line of Western Fairfield, instead of "March, 1835," it per- 
Ijaps should read "October, 1834," but this is a disputed point. 

Page 52 : The fourth paragraph should read, "In 1835, William Cavender bought the 
land owned by William Walworth— the site of the Canandaigua mills— and in the fall 
of the same year sold it to Laban Merrick, who commenced building a saw-mill." 

Page 112: Close of first paragraph, for "Levi Daniels" read "Lemuel Daniels;" for 
*'Patrick Trumer," read "Patrick Trainer;" for "Nathan Stone," read "Nahum 
Stone." 

Rollin: The Quaker Mill was built about 1850, by Mr. William Beal. It is now 
owned by Nelson Perkins. 

Seneca: Page 119, at end of sixth paragraph, read "and two Representatives, Dr. 
Jas. H. Swe«ney and Elias J. Baldwin. 



SUPPLEMENT. 133* 



TECUMSEH. 

Since the first sections of this book were printed, S. C. Stacy, esq., editor of the Te- 
eumseh Herald, delivered an address before the Lenawee County Pioneer Society otb 
the early history of Tecumseh. As in some of its statements it differs from the state-.- 
ments contained in the opening sections of this book, it has been determined to give it 
to the reader in the form of a supplement. Mr. Stacy was born and reared in that 
village, and has opportunities for investigation, and is, by all odds, the best authority/ 
extant on the early history of the pioneer town: 

In preparing a historical paper to be reatl before the Lenawee County Pioneer Soci- 
ety to-day, it occurred to me that a detailed account of some particular event in the* 
county, or of some particular locality, would be more valuable as well as more inter- 
esting, than a general sketch covering a Jarger extent of territory and a longer period' 
of time. 

Accordingly, we have selected for our theme tlie '"First Settlement of Tecumseh,"' 
and we shall endeavor to faithfully portray the principal events which transpirect 
within the present corporate limits of this village, from the time when the first settler 
trod the virgin soil of the Territory in the summer of 1823, unftl the first formal cel- 
ebration of Independence Day, on tlie 4th of July, 1826. This period will embrace the 
first two years of the settlement of Tecumseh. Dm-ing this time, the civilization ofi' 
the white man was planted in the then "Far West," a village was established, severaB 
families were domiciled in their new homes, a county seat was legislated into exist-^ 
ence, and Tecumseh assumed her position as an important geogi-aphical point ta 
Michigan. 

The founder of Tecumseh was a worthy Quaker, of whom we have all heard before^ 
named Musgrove Evans. He was a native of Pennsylvania, but for several years, 
prior to 1833 had been residing in the town of Chaumont, Jefferson county, Ncaw 
York. Like many other enterprising men of that day, he caught the Western fever^ 
and in the early summer of 182:3 he left his New York home to "seek his fortune," 
and came to Detroit. At this point he formed the acquaintance of Austin E. Wing, 
who had already been a resident of the Territory for several years, which acquaint- 
ance afterwards ripened into a strong friendship and business partnership, that Con- 
tinued unbroken until Mr. Evans' death. After obtaining from Mr. Wing what infor- 
mation he could in regard to the most desirable locations in the interior, he started 
out to explore the Eaisin Valley, for in that early day the valley of the Raisin was 
justly celebrated for its beauty. Shortly before this time, this portion of Michigan 
had been surveyed, and the Government lands had been thrown upon the market. Of 
this trip by Mr. Evans but little is known, as we have neither records nor tradition to 
enlighten us ; but we know the fact that the Quaker pioneer fell in love with the 
beautiful oak openings around Tecumseh, and the splendid hydraulic power afforded 
by Evans Creek and the river Raisin, and resolved to make this section his future- 
home. Accordingly, he returned to Jefferson county, enlisted his brother-in-law, J. 
W. Brown, and a few others, in the enterprise, and made preparation! to remove his 
family West in the coming spring. 

Mr. Evans spent that winter in gathering his party together, and early in 1824 a 
company of over twenty, under his guidance, left the town of Chaumont, Jefferson, 
county, New York, to take vip their abode among the oak openings of the Raisin Val- 
ley, in Michigan. The journey before them was no holiday trip. In fact, they con- 
.sumed more time and endured more privations and hardships than a like company 
would to-day in traveling from New Y'ork to San Francisco. 

The party consisted of Musgrove Evans, his wife and five children. General J. W. 
Brown, Ezra F. Blood, Peter Benson and wtfe. Turner Stetson and wife, two Ful- 
soms, father and son, Nathan Rathbone, Peter Low, John Borland, Curtis Page, 
George Spafford, Levi Baxter and Henry Sloate. They came up Lake Ontario to 
Lewiston, and from there to Black Rock, near Buffalo, where they remained for one 



134 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 



week on account of the ice. In those days, steam navigation was in its infancy. 
'There was but one steamboat on Lake Erie, and passenger tickets thereon, between 
Black Rock and Detroit, were $20 each. Most people traveling West were unable to 
pay the fare. The Evans party, therefore, chartered a schooner called the "Erie," 
-'(the same craft which subsequently went over the Falls of Niagara,) and as soon as 
'the harbor was sufficiently clear of ice, tliey weighed anchor and set sail for Detroit. 
No incident particularly noteworthy occurred during the voyage, and they disem- 
barked in safety at Detroit during the last week in April, 1834. 

After a stop of three days in Detroit, the gentlemen of the party started for Tecum- 
seh on foot, taking with them one pony and a French boy to transport their baggage 
-and commissary stores. They followed the St. Joe trail to Ypsilanti. This trail was 
:a narrow track, only wide enough for one man or horse, but well beaten, being worn 
into the earth from three to six inches below ihe surface of the ground. There was 
no mistaking the trail when once seen, nor was there any danger of losing it. It fol- 
lowed a general westward course, winding about among the trees and crossing streams 
-at fordable points. The members of the party, of course, pony and all, were com- 
pelled to travel in single file, in orthodox Indian fashion, and when drawn out in that 
-manner they made quite an imposing caravan. From Ypsilanti they followed the 
same trail to Saline, and thence to the river Raisin, a mile or so north of the present 
■village of Clinton. There they crossed the river and discharged their pony, and leav- 
-ing the trail, bore oflP in a southwesterly direction until they reached the eccentric lit- 
tle creek which now bears Musgrove Evans' name, which they followed to its junc- 
iion with the Raisin, arriving at that point in the afternoon. 

Hei"e, on the spot where the Globe Mill now stands, they found two or three Indian 
■wigwams. They were deserted, but were in good enough repair to afford comfortable 
hshelter, and in the largest of these wigwams the company passed that night. The 
siext morning they explored the section of coimtry adjacent to Evans Creek and the 
Raisin, and came to the conclusion that here was the place to "settle down." Three 
'Or four days were passed in this manner, and the nights were spent in the big wig- 
•nvani. Finally their commissary stores having become exhausted, they left for Mon- 
u-oe where they expected to meet the remainder of the party. They were one whole 
•day making the trip, traveling on foot. They followed an Indian trail, and arrived 
just at night in Monroe, as hungry a set of men, probably, as Michigan has ever seen 
'before or since. The whole village of Monroe turned out in surprise to meet them, 
for it was a strange sight to witness a company of white men coming into Monroe 
vfrom the West. Here they met the women and children of the party, who had just 
.arrived from Detroit in a sail boat called the "Fire Fly," commanded by Captain 
Harvey. 

Austin E. Wing met them at Monroe, and here the partnership of AVing, Evans & 
"Brown was entered into, and the determination formed to secure the location of the 
-county seat at Tecumseh. (Jen. Brown, and most of the men in the party, then went 
back to Detroit, and thence East for their families, and while at Detroit, Gen. Brown 
liad an interview with Gov. Cass in regard to the county seat. 

Evans then hired about thirty men, and they proceeded to Tecumseh, cutting a 
road as they went along. They followed the general course of the Indian ti-ail from 
Monroe to Tecumseh, and in due time halted at the east bank of the Raisin, about 
ithirty rods east of the present site of the Globe Mill. The river, however, was so 
Siigh as to render it unsafe to ford it at that point, and so they followed the east bank 
•About two miles north and west, and at five o'clock in the afternoon halted their wag- 
ons on the flat where the small dwelling house, barn and cooper shop, belonging to 
the Brownville Mill, now stands. Here the party passed that night, with a few oalc 
*rees and the blue dome of heaven as th|jr only shelter. The next morning they com- 
menced work on a log house, which was soon erected. Its dimensions were twenty 
feet square, horizontally, and about nine feet perpendicularly. There was a low gar- 
Ltet, two logs in height above the ceiling, which was used as a bed-room for the boys 



SUPPLEilENT. 135 



\.ind hired men. There was no floor, as the nearest saw-mill was at Monroe, and the 
roof was covered with bark peeled from elm trees, and until the next November it 
was provided with neither chimney nor fireplace. A bake-kettle served tlie purpose 
■of aii oven for several months. For cooking purposes a fire was made on the ground, 
the smoke ascending through a hole in the roof. Mrs. Benson accompanied this party 
of wwkmen to prepare meals for them. She was the first white woman in Lenawee 
<»unl.y. In this house Evans and his wife, with five children, Peter Benson and wife, 
and several men, lived during the summer, Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Benson preparing 
food for from fifteen to twenty persons daily. 

As soon as the house was completed, Evans returned to Monroe for his family. 
Slaving procured ox teams, and packed their household goods and provisions (what 
little they had) in rough wagons, they turned their faces once more toward the setting 
s\Va. This was a beautiful summer morning, the first day of June, 182-t. The men 
traveled on foot, and the women and children found it convenient to rest themselves 
'by walking apart of the distance. It was easier to walk than to ride, and just as 
cheap. On the afternoon of the second day, June 3d, 18S1, they arrived at the Evans 
mansion, in Brownville, and took up their abode. 

Their household utensils were but few, and of the rudest kind. They brought n© 
bedstead with them, but a bed was made in each corner of the house by sticking two 
poles into a hole in each wall, and supporting the outer ends of the poles, where they 
crossed each other, with a block of wood. Thus a good bedstead was made out of two 
-saplings, and with but a single leg. Tradition tells us that the lord of the house, Mus- 
:gTove himself, was unceremoniously tumbled out of bed one morning by having the 
"Mock, which formed the corner post, knocked from under the two saplings. They 
"had no chairs, but used rough benches instead. In the following November a floor 
■was laid, t^ chimney and an out-<loor oven, and two small shanties were added to the 
tiouse, for two other families had arrived to occupy the mansion during the ensuing 
-winter. 

Gen. Brown returned East in July, and had brought back his wife and children, and 
"iieorge Spafiford and wife had arrived. Brown brought a dozen chairs with him, and 
■ some other articles of household furniture, including a trundle-bed. During the win- 
ter of 1834-.5, this house afforded a home for Mr. Evans, his wife and six children. 
Gen. Brown, his wife and six children, Peter Benson and wife, and George Spafford 
and wife. This log house was the first in Lenawee county, and one of the first ones 
jn Michigan, west of Monroe and Detroit. A building was made near by of tamarack 
poles, twelve feet square and seven feet high, which was used for a school house, Mrs. 
"George Spafford t«aching school there during that winter. 

Among the farming implements brought to the settlement by Mr. Evans, was one 
plow. No crops were put in the first summer, except a little corn and wheat and 
some garden truck, as the season w^as too far advanced when the new comers arrived. 
But there was a man in the company, named Fulsom, who was bound to have some 
plowing done. lie wanted to see how Michigan soil looked, for he was confident he 
could tell by inspection whether it would produce good crops or not. He borrowed 
Evans' plow, hitched on an ox team, and with Ei.ra F. Blood to hold the plow, turned 
ihe first furrows in the virgin soil of Lenawee county. 

This plowing took place on the t)ank of the creek, in the western portion of the vil- 
' iage, and near the spot where A. McNeil's house now stands. 

During the summer, several other families reached Tccumseh from Jefferson coun- 
ty, all of whom had been induced io come West from the representations of Mr. Ev- 
ans. In June or July, James Patchin arrived with his family, coming by the way of 
Detroit and Monroe, as the pioneer party had done. He located two lots of land east 
«>f Brownville, and built a small log house thereon, where he continued to reside for 
many years. This farm" is now owned and occupied by Jacob G. Iloberts. 

E. P. Champlin arrived with his family about the same time, settled on the land now 
Mowned by Elizabeth Whitney, near the Patr hin fann, and a little west. These three 



136 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

families have lonpj since been scattered, and the members thereof who lived in that 
early day have gone to their final home. Mrs. James Patchin continued to reside 
here tmtil her death, which occurred within the last five years. 

Turner Stetson and wife came with the original Evans party, but met them at De- 
troit, and were persuaded by Evans and the rest to accompany them to Tecumseh. 
Stetson built a house on the bluff of the creek, near the present site of the Episcopal 
church. He sowed a small patch of wheat in the fall of 1823, as also did Evans, some 
four acres. 

The first land bought of the Government was in 182.3, when Austin Wing entered 
two lots, covering the Brownville mill privilege. The next land entered was in June,. 
1834— one lot by Stetson, extending north and west from the present depot, and the 
next was two lots, entered by Ezra F. Blood, in June, 18-^, about a mile southeast of 
the village. Upon this same farm Mr. Blood and his family still reside. He is s*ill 
in good health, and we trust he may remain with us many years longer. 

The next family which arrived was that of Abner Spafford. His family came on 
the Erie, to Detroit, where they arrived on the 4th of July, 18':M. One of Mr. Spaf- 
ford's daughters, Cynthia, (now Mrs. Wm. W. Tilton, who still resides in Tecumseh,) 
remembers that celebration vividly, as it was the first time in her life that she ever 
lieard a cannon. Soon after, Mr. Spafford, with two of his boys, started for Jlonroe 
by land, driving eleven head of cattle, and Mrs. Spafford, with the rest of the family,, 
five in number, took a sail boat called the Fire Fly and proceeded to Monroe by water- 
After a week's stay at Monroe, Spafford got two yoke of oxen and a lumber wagon,, 
and AAith this rig the family started for Tecumseh. They camped out two nights, and 
on the third day anived at Musgrove Evans'. They located their house on the flat 
near the creek, a few rods north of the present depot building. Elevating the wagon- 
box on crotches and poles, they camped nnder it until a log house could be raised.. 
This house, like its predecessors, was destitute of floor or chimney. They had no- 
floor until the 27th of November, Avhen the new saw-mill had commenced operations,, 
and enough lumber was obtained to make one. 

Mr. Spafford's family continued to live here for many years. Two of his daughters,. 
Mrs. W. W. Tilton and Mrs. Webster, still reside here, and one son, Sumner F. Spaf- 
ford, esq., is a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. Abner Spafford's family lived in this 
house two years, and then moved upon E. F. Blood's farm. 

During the fall of 1824, Mr. Blood built a log house upon his farm, the gable ends 
being finished with the first lumber turned out of the new saw-mill. This building^ 
still stands on the bluff of the river, a few rods north of Mr. Blood's present' dwelling 
house. It is greatly dilapidated and rapidly going to decay, but is allowed to stand as- 
one of the very few remaining mementoes of the first year's settlement of Tecumseh. 
The same fall, an Indian trader, by the name Knaggs, built a small house on the 
north side of Chicago street, upon the block east of the East Branch school, and dur- 
ing the winter of "24 and '25, that was the only place of business in Tecumseh. 

In July or August, Daniel Pitman and his family, consisting of a wife and two chil- 
dren, arrived. He put up a small house on the i^resent site of Dr. Patterson's resi- 
dence, where he lived for several years. The next sununer he erected a store on the 
same lot and embarked in the mercantile business. A daughter of his, Mrs. E. A. 
Tribou, still lives in Tecumseh, and James E. and Samuel Pitman live in Detroit. 

Borland, his wife and two children, arrived the same fail, although late in the sea- 
son, and took up their abode with Mr. Blood, upon his farm, where they lived for two 
years, and until Abner Spafford's family moved in. Borland then became the land- 
lord of the Brown tavern. 

Horace Wolcott and family came about the same time. He entered two lots north, 
of the Evans home, in Brownville, which are now divided into several small farms, 
and built a small log house there. The family lived there for some years. Peter Low^ 
joined the party at Buffalo. He entered a lot on Evans Creek, between Shawnee 
street and the present village cemetery. He sold this lot in the fall to Jesse Osborn,. 



SUPPLEMENT. 137 

and took up a part of P. Bills' present farm, east of the road leading to E. F. Blood's 
present residence, adjoining Mr. Blood'i farm. 

Jesse Osborn and family, consisting of a wife and five or six children, came in 
during that fall and purchased the lot of Peter Low. lie set out a large orchard on 
this place, afterwards known as the Hoag orchard. His house was on the bank of the 
creek, a few rods north of John Whitnack's present residence. A few years after 
Mr. Osborn moved to the town of Woodstock, in this county. To him belongs the 
honor of raising and taking to mill the first wheat that was ground in Tecumseh. 
The house and the "old barn" remained on this place many years, and we remember 
the fact that in our boyhood days a favorite swinnning place in the creek was behind 
this same "old barn." 

In the original party which came with Evans was a Lawyer Rathbone, but as the 
pioneers were a peaceable set he had no litigation to attend to. But as there was a 
considerable sickness in the new settlement a physician became a necessity. Dr. 
Ormsby arrived in the fall of '24 and continued in practice here two years. Mr. E. F. 
Blood had the honor of going to Detroit after his medicine chest. 

Thomas Goodrich, 8r., came that fall and located the farm now occupied by Mrs. 
II. R. Clark, at Newberg. On the 16th of November his family, consisting of himself, 
wife and seven children, Ira and (Jeorge Goodrich, with their families, landed at 
Monroe and came direct to Tecumseh. Ira located a farm one mile north of New- 
burg. 

We have thus enumerated (as far as we have been able to gather the dates) all the 
persons who came to Tecumseh during 1824 with a view of a permanent settlement. 
When that winter set in, the total population of the village, including men, women 
and children, numbered about fifty. 

We will now take a brief retrospect to relate a few incidents of a general character. 

During the sunnner of 1824 the principal business of the men in the settlement was 
building houses and cutting out roads. No crops of any .amount were put in during 
the season. As often as a new family arrived all liands would turn in and help put 
up a log house. Nearly all their provisions, flour, merchandise, etc., were carted from 
Monroe in wagons. Peter Benson, who was in the employ of Mr. Evans as his team- 
ster, did most of this work. He spent the whole summer traveling back and forth 
between Monroe and Tecumseh. New pieces of road had to be cut every few days, 
as the soil was marshy in many places and the road would soon become impassable 
by reason of the mud. 

The entire stock of sugar, however, was purchased of the Indians. It was maple 
sugar, and was put up in a vessel called a "mocock." This vessel was made of bark 
and about the size and shape of a copper boiler. A "mocock" of maple sugar would 
last a family several months. The mails came up from Monroe at intervals of a week 
or ten days, whenever Peter Benson came over the road with a load of provisions. 
During the autumn of 1824 the first saw mill was erected. A dam was thrown across 
the river in Brownville, which dam remains there to this day, and serves as a high- 
way across the rivar at the paper mill. The work upon the mill was done mostly by 
volunteers, the same as the log houses had been raised. Slen had but little to do at 
home, and they were all waiting for lumber with which to finish their houses for 
winter. The site of the saw mill was east of the bridge across the mill-dam and south 
of the race leading to the Heck Bros. mill. It was completed in a few weeks, and by 
November was in running order. Several logs were sawed up that fall, and thus the 
settlers were supplied with boards with which to build floors for their houses. This 
mill did valiant service for several years, but it finally went to decay, and the last 
timber of its foundation floated down the Raisin many years ago. 

Before Mr. Evans settled in Tecumseh, and during his stay of a few days in Mon- 
roe, in April, 1824, a co-partnership was formed between Austin E.*Wing, Musgrove 
Evans and Gen. Brown, by the firm name of Wing, Evans & Brown, and very soon 
after the arrival of the parties, steps were taken to have the new settlement made a 



138 THE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

county seat. Gen. Brown stopped at Detroit on this mission when he started East for 
his family, paid a personal visit to Gov. Cass, and the Governor appointed a commit- 
tee of two, consisting of C. J. Lanmon and Oliver Johnson, who visited Tecumseh 
and approved the location. On the last of June the Legislature was in session. The 
committee made their report, which was accepted and adopted. It was stipulated in 
the enactment that in laying out the village, the company should set apart for the 
public benefit four squares, viz., one for acoiui house and jail, one for a public prom- 
enade, one for a cemetery and one for a military parade ground, and that they should 
build a bridge across the River Raisin east of the village. These conditions were 
accepted. In the meantime Wing, Evans & Brown had entered the land, comprising 
the present village east of Railroad street, and extending north to the Brovvnville 
mill. Upon this tract of land the original plat of the village was made. 

Musgrove Evans himself, who was a surveyor, laid out the village plat during the 
summer of 1821. The original plat embraced the territory bounded east by Wyan- 
dotte street, south by Killbuck street, west by the present railroad and the section 
line running directly north from the present depot, and north by a line about ten rods 
north of the street leading east from Brownville across the river. All of the territory 
west of the railroatl has been attached to the village by subsequent additions. The 
cemetery square was located on the corner of Ottawa and Killbuck streets, the mili- 
tary square on Shawnee sti-eet, the court house and park squares on the west side of 
Mauinee street, and upon either side of Chicago street. The cemetery square has 
long since ceased to be used for that purpose, but the village still improves it as pub- 
lic property. The park square has been turned over to the school district, and upon 
that the East Branch School now stands. The court house square, opposite, is still 
village property, but the building itself has been moved one block further east, and is 
now used by S. P. Hosmer as a tool handle factory. Time upsets all things. The 
first court house in the county is deserted by sheriffs, lawyers and judges, and given 
■over to the manufacture of hickory tool handles. 

But this talk is a digression. Returning to our task, let us trace the history of our 
village through 1825. During that year but few new settlers presented themselves ; 
but many new buildings were erected and substantial improvements made. Among 
the arrivals were Curtis Page and William W. Tilton, two practical carpenters. Mr. 
Tilton came in June, 182.5, and he was the man who cut the two small fields of wheat 
sown by Stetson and Evans the fall before. Soon after, he and Page hired out to 
Daniel Pitman, and were employed several weeks in building his new store upon his 
lot at the corner of Chicago and Ottawa streets— Dr. Patterson's present lot. In the 
iall Mr. Pitman opened his store, and continued in mercantile business there for sev- 
eral years. 

Thomas Griswold, wife and tour children arrived in July, 1825. He entered two 
Jots about a mile north of Wolcotts, on the present Clinton road. The family lived 
with Evans until November and then moved upon their farm. 

In the spring of this year Gen. Brown commenced the erection of a large frame 
tavern on the southeast corner of Maumee and Chicago streets, the present site of 
■George W. Frasier's house. The house was occupied during the summer, and was 
kept as a public house for ten or twelve years, when it burned down. At the time it 
>burned, it was known as the "Green Tavern." 

On the 30th day of July, a child of Musgrove Evans, little Charley, aged about three 
years, was drowned in the river, near his father's house in Brownville. 

George Griswold, who lives in this township, was with Charley when the accident 
happened. George was four years old. The two boys went down to the river bank 
•tlirectly east of the present mill cooper shop to play, and while there Charley walked 
■out on a plank which had been placed to stand on while dipping up water, aud tell 
■oft into the river. George shouted for his mother, but before any one arrived Charley 
was drowned. 

Col. Hickson and family arrived the same fall, and took up their abode in the build- 



SUPPLEMENT. 



ing owned by the Indian trader, Knaggs. They lived in Tecumseh a few years, and 
afterwards moved on a farm just north of Clinton, where Mrs. Hickson still resides, 
in a hale and happy old age. Theodore Bissell arrived the same summer, remained 
over one winter, and then returned East In 1827 he came back and settled here. 

The first religious service held here was in the summer of 1835, and was conducted 
t)y Kev. Noah M. Wells, then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Detroit. He 
formerly resided in New York, and Mrs. Gen. Brown was a member of his church 
there. He came over to Tecumseh to pay the General's family a visit, and as he re- 
mained in town one Sabbath, a meeting was held in Brown's tavern, and Mr. Wells 
preached the sermon. 

In the fall. Rev. Mr. Baclmian, a 3Iethodist, commenced preaching here and con- 
tinued regularly every two weeks for three or four years, Tecumseh being the 
principal point in his circuit. He received the magnificent salary of $100 per year. 
These services were held at first in the school house and afterwards in the court 
house. 

During the season of 1835, the settlers were hard at work breaking up the land, 
tilling and harvesting their crops. A large amount of wheat was sown that fall. It 
was in the fall and winter of tliis year tiiat Wing, Evans & Brovpn started the project 
of a new grist mill. The first winter (1834-5) had been a very mild one, but the second 
one (1825-6) was colder, and there was some good sleighing. At this time a sleigh 
ride was got up to Benjamin's tavern, ten miles this side of Monroe. There were 
two loads of seven persons. One load contained Theodore Bissell, Horace Wolcott, 
and five young ladies, from fifteen to thirty years old. They were the only single 
ladies of a marriageable age then living in Tecumseh. 

The other load contained Dr. Ormsby, Cousin George Spafford, and five married 
ladies. As there were but two strings of bells in the county, each load appropriated 
one string. The husbands of the married ladies had previously gone to Monroe to 
purchase provisions, and after the two sleigh loads arrived at Benjamin's, the five 
husbands stopped on their return home, and very iniexpectedly found their wives 
there. The occurrence produced much merriment, and was tlie theme of gossip in 
the village for some time afterwards. 

In the fall of '35 or spring of '36, Borland made a party at his house on the Blood 
farm. Gen. Brown hitched up Evans' lumber wagon, put a long board across, and 
picked up a load of ladies to take to the party. Going home the wagon reach came 
apart, the board dropped down, and the women were tumbled into the ditch. Mrs. 
Daniel Hickson was one of the heroines of this accident. 

In the fall of '35 a small frame school house was built on the north side of Chicago 
street where the old Michigan House was afterwards erected, the present site of S. B. 
Terry's residence ; and in the ensuing winter, George Taylor, father of Mrs. James 
Pencil, of this village, taught the first regular term of school, in the new building. 

The first white male child born in the county was George W. Goodrich, who now 
lives in the township of Clinton. The next child, or rather children, were twins, and 
Mrs. Peter Low was the happy mother. Peter Low was an uncle of Justus Low, 
who now lives in Ridgeway. 

In the spring of '36, Evans commenced the building of a large frame house on the 
corner of Oneida and Chicago streets, and by the ith of July, in that year, the frame 
was up and roof on, and it was used for the celebration. This house yet stands and 
is used by Peter R. Adams, Esq., as his residence. 

This spring the grist mill, which had been started the previous fall, was completed. 
The mill was placed east of the Brownville dam, opposite the river from the saw mill, 
about where the paper mill is now located. But the project came near being a failure 
for lack of mill stones. Fortune, however, favors the brave. About a mile or so 
northeast was found a huge boulder of pure granite. With drill and wedges— for 
they had no powder— two large slabs were split off and worked into suitable size to 
answejr tlie purpose. Along In' June, when the mill was nearly finished, Jesse Osbom 



140 TILE BEAN CREEK VALLEY. 

and Gen. Brown, in a bantering way, pledged each other, the one to furnish new 
wheat and the other to grind it on the 4th of July. They kept their word. Jesse 
Osborn harvested his wheat on ground north and east of Judge Stacy's present house, 
threshed it with a flail, took a grist to- the new mill on the morning of the 4th, and 
from flour made that morning Mrs. Brown made some cake and biscuit, which were 
used at the celebration dinner in the afternoon. Sylvanus Blackmar was the miller 
who ground this grist, and to him belongs tlie honor of having ground the first flour 
ever manufactured in Lenawee county. 

Another version is that Thomas Griswold ground the first giist. Blackmar was the 
regular miller, and Griswold worked in the mill. It is quite likely, therefore, that 
both of them had a "hand in the hopper." 

For several days prior to July 4th, 18'26, arrangements were making for an exten- 
sive celebration. About noon a procession formed at Brown's tavern. Daniel Pitman 
was marshal of the day, and rode on a small bald-faced pony. Brass bands were not 
plenty in those days, but music of some kind was necessary, so they got a French 
fiddler from Monroe, and that Frenchman with his fiddle constituted the band. 

After forming the procession it was marched to Evans' new house, three blocks up 
Chicago street, where the exercises were held. During the march, one string of the 
Frenchman's fiddle broke, and the band cried out, "Stop the procession." The mar- 
shal, however, kept the procession moving, but the music after that was rather 
demoralized. Arriving at Evan's house, the speaking of the day was gone through 
with and then the company dispersed. Some of the men returned to Brown's tavern 
for their dinner, and others, with the ladies of the village, made some tables in Pit- 
man's jard, on the corner opposite Evans' new house, and enjoyed a picnic dinner.. 
:Mrs. Brown had some cake and biscuit there made from the new flour ground that 
morning. 

Cynthia Spafford, now Mrs. Tilton, was living in Pitman's family at that time, and 
she considers that meal was one of the best and most enjoyable picnic dinners she 
has ever partaken of from that day to this. 

The first two years of pioneer life in Tecumseh were filled with many privations 
and trials. 3Iany illustrations of this we have given, and many more will never be 
recorded. 

An anecdote is told of Capt. Merritt, an early resident, which shows the feeling of 
the early settlers. Meeting a friend one day in Monroe, he was asked where he lived. 
"In Tecumseh," said he. "And where is that?" "It is thirty miles from Monroe," 
he replied, "and forty miles beyond God's Blessing." Those of us who have come 
up with the present generation have but a faint idea of the privations and struggles 
that the pioneers endured who laid on the banks of the Raisin the foundation of the 
village of Teciunseh. 

Our allotted task is done, and upon this glorious fourth of 182C, we drop the curtain 
of our history for the present. 

Gen. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Tilton, E. F. Blood, Mrs. Ilickson, Sumner Spafford, 
Sam and James Pitman, and perhaps a few others, are the only persons now living 
who can remember with any distinctiveness the events of those far off days, and 
those few persons are rapidly passing away. Peter Benson lives near Grand Trav- 
erse, and Mrs. Knaggs, his sister, is living in Monroe. We trust some abler pen may 
hereafter take up the thread of our narrative where we have left it, and rescue the 
events of tlie subsequent five or ten years from the oblivion which now threatens 
them. 



INDEX. 

Page. 

ADA3IS.— Settlers ; Tovto Meeting, 1836; Mills; Schools; Churches; Officers, 124 

AMBOY.— Early Settlement; Death; Sermon; Marriage; Organization: Mills* 

Churches; Supervisors, - - - - - - - 139 

HUDSON.— Hudson ; Kidder and Toung enter land ; Charles Ames and Thomas 

Pennock enter land, -------22 

House built by Hiram Kidder, ---... 23 

Kidder's family arrive, - ------- 2i 

Ames and party arrive at Kidder's house, .... 35 

Oliver Purchase and VanGauder arrive, ----- 26 

Lands purchased in 1833, ----... ^ 

Anecdotes of early times, -------.gg 

Reuben Davis settled on the Creek, - - - . . 32 

Work on Kidder's race begun ; The Lanes buy out Davis and commence amill, 33 
The village of Lenawee platted; Worden's grocery; Mill finished; Lane's 
family; VanAkin and Davenport arrive, - - - - - 3a 

Land purchased in 1834, ....... gg 

Silas iCaton'b obituary, --------37 

Lane's mill; Sugar making; Cressey's settlement; TheDillons arrive ; First 
marriage, - - - - - - - -- -48 

Mrs. Davis ; Store opened ; Religious meeting, - - - . 49 

Rev. Wolcott preached ; Land purchasers, 1835 ; Presbyterian church ; Wedding, 50 
Township meeting; Marriage; Postofflce; Rev. David Pratt; Oakley ; Stuck ; 

Cobb ; School ; School house ; Wheat harvested ; Great Bend project, - 65 
David Tucker; Lands piu-chased, ---... qq 

Original saw mill ; Harvey Anderson, ------ 57 

Internal Improvement Act; The three routes; Finney's visit to Monroe; 
Road located, ---------68 

Hard times; Banks— Chartered and Wildcat, - - - . gg 

Anecdotes ; Dr. Hall ; Anderson & Col vin ; Silas Eaton ; C. H. & H. M. Boies, 72 
D. P. Hannah; J. C. Hogaboam; Railroad bridges; Drs. Baldwin »&Romyne; 
W. H. Johnson; J. M. Osborn; Campaign, 1840, - - - - 73 

Gloomy times; Railroad appropriations; New school houses; New store 
building ; William Baker opens a store, - - - - 74 

Harder times ; Proceeds of road pledged for iron, ... -^5 

Railroad completed ; Station changes ; Lorenao Palmer ; J. M. Johnson ; Fires, 76 
The Old Corner Store ; Exchange Bank ; Another grist mill project, - 77 

Hulburd mill; Stock store; Spoke factory, ----- 7g 

Tannery ; Newspapers, ---.--.. r^g 

Crime— W. W. Treadwell, ------- gy 

Bank Robbery, ......... ^l 

Treadwell captiu-ed, tried, escaped with Cowell, - - - - §2 

Body found; Cowell arrested, tried, convicted, hung; Organizations— Congre- 
gational church, ---------S3 

Methodist Episcopal, -------- gg 

The Baptists, ----- 92 

Roman Catholic ; Other churches ; Schools, -*---- 94 

Benevolent orders ; Odd Fellows, ------- 95 

Free Masons ; Official register, .-.-.. eg 



INDEX. 



Agricultural Society; Village plats and government; Claj-ton, - - 97 

Necrology, ---------- 98 

Supplement— Business houses ; Census of 1874, ----- 131 

Corrections, - - - . - - - - - - 132 

JEFFERSON.— Florida ; First town meeting ; List of voters ; Officers, - - 125 

IJiNAWEECOUNTY.-County laid out; Attached to Monroe, - - 9 

Tecumseh settled ; Platted, - - - - - - - - U 

Seat of justice established; Saw mill built; rostoffice established ; Osborn's 
plows, ..--.-.-..12 

Tecumseh school house; Blissfield settled, ..... is 
Tecumseh grist mill ; Celebration ; Adrian settled ; Saw mill built, - - 14 
County organized ; Divided into townships; Township of Blissfield organ- 
ized ; Weddings ; Township of Logan organized, - - - - 15 
Adrian platted; Its first celebration, ....-- 16 
Kedzie. of Blissfield, died ; Adrian postoffice established. - - - 17 

Black Hawk War, 18 

New townships organized ; LaPlaisance Bay road surveyed, - - 19 

Change in townships ; Lenawee organized, - - . . - 83 

Stacy's article on Tecumseh, .....-- 133 

MEDINA.— Exploration of Gregg's party, . . . . . 33 

The Upton settlement, 1834; A race for a farm; The original log house; 

Knapp's better house, ....... 40 

Land purchasers of 1834; A more exciting race, - - - - 41 

Tavern opened ; Land purchasers, ...... 51 

First sermon ; Dr. Hamilton ; Kev. Warner, ----- 53 

First mill finished; Hard times; Marriages and births, ... no 
Teniperance lecture; Schools; Churches; Town organized; Proclamation; 

Voters resident, ....--.. m 

Town meeting; Hotel, ........ 113 

The dead Indian; Churches; Mills; Plats; Railroad, ... 113 

Carding; Celebration; Death; Mills; Distillery, .... 114 

Barrow's School ; Churches ; ^lills ; Postofiice ; Academy, - - 115 

Physicians; Churches; Official list; Soldiers, ..... lift 

Soldiers, 117 

Corrections, ----.-..-- 132 

MICHIGAN.— Derivation of the word; Visit of the Jesuits, 1641 ; Father Mar- 
quette's mission : Detroit founded, 1701 ; Ceded to England ; A part of the 
Province of Quebec ; Indian incursions organized ; Surrender to United 
States, 1796; Wayne county organized ; State of Ohio organized; Boun- 
dary line, .-.-.--.-- 7 
Territory of Michigan organized; Hull, Governor; Treaty with Chippewas, 
Ottawas, etc. ; Surrender to the British ; Evacuated by the British ; Wayne 
county re-organized ; Monroe county organized; Township of Monroe or- 
ganized, ---------- S 

Treaty with the Chippewas, of Saginaw; jSfanroe survey; Treaty of Chicago; 
Boundaries of Lenaw^ee county defined, ..... 9' 

The Surveyor General's report on Michigan, .... 10 

Lenawee county organized; Townships organized, - - - - 15 

Townships of Lenawee and Fairfield organized, - - - - .32 

Townships of Rollin, Wheatland and Moscow organized, . . - 46 

Townships of Hudson, Seneca, Woodstock, Pittsford and .\dams organized, 64 

MOSCOW.— Peter Benson settled ; Lands purchased in 1833, . - - 27 

First school; School house; Townsliip organized, - . - - 43 

Churches: Mills; Officers, -------- 123 



INDEX. 



PITTSFORD.— Charles Ames entered land, 22^ 

Ameses and Pratt settle, --------26 

Lands purchased in 1833, ..--... 27 

Charley Pratt lost; Pcnnock lost, ------- 31 

SylvanusandRufusEstes, and Jesse Smith and family arrive, - - 33 

The Wordens and Days arrive, ------.34, 

Lands purchased in 1834 ; Wedding, ------ 36 

Purchases of 1835, ---------. "Vi 

Deaths; Orchard set; Organization; Col vin's grocery; Chief clerk, - 56 

Indian burial ; Colvin's whisky, -------57 

The Dutchman and the ague ; Hunting adventure ; Griswold's arrival ; Keene 

platted, 58 

Town meeting, 1836 ; Officers elected, 1836 and '37; Marriage license, 106 

Official register, 1838 and '39; Indians removed, - - - . 107 

Official list; Liquor license; Necrology, ----- los 

RANSOM.— First settlers ; Other settlers; Schools; Hard times; Births; Death; 
Sermon, -_......_. 126 

Rowland; Town meeting; Marriage; Death; Accidents; Change of names; 
Lee ; Comparative statement, ------- 137 

Soldiers; Accidents, -------- isg 

Supervisors, ---------- 129 

ROLLIN.— First land entered, 23 

Settlement, ---------- 23 

Lands purchased in 18:53, .-..--. 27 

" " " 18.34; Marriage and death, ----- 43 

Township organized; First township meeting, - - - . 4q 
Dr. Hall, Daniel and William Rhodes aiTive ; Work on mill commenced— 

Postoffice established; First attempt at selling whisky, - - 47 

Land purchases of 18.35, -------- 4^ 

Second town meeting ; Mill ; Baptist church, - - - - - 99 

Grist-mill; Green; Rhodes; Comstock, . . - . . 100 

Official register, -.-----.. 101 

C^uaker mill, -..----.- 12:3 

SENECA.— Exploration of Gregg's party, ----- 23 

Bennett's settlement, --------- 26 

Baker's settlement; Land purchases of 18.34, - - . . 39 

Land purchases of 18.35 ; Birth ; Death ; Schools, - - - - 53 

Pnrchasesof 1836; Store; Tavern; Postoffice; Mills, . - - ns 

Business houses ; Official list, ------- 119 

Representatives Sweeney and Baldwin, ----- 123 

SOMERSET.— Van Houvenbergh's settlement, 18 

Ebeiiezer Gay arrives, -------- 23 

Timothy Gay and family arrive, ------ -04 

Land purchases of 1834; School; Marriage; Death; Church organized, 44 

Church going; Mrs. Gay's experience, ------ 45 

The Mercers arrive ; Extensive travel, ----- 54 

Mills; Town meeting; Churches; Official register, - - - - 109 

WOODSTOCK.— First settlement, 19 

Lands purchased in 1833, - 27 

" 18;M; Wedding, 44 

Town meeting. 1&36 ; Officers elected; Talbot mill; Coon Town; Mill on 

Goose Creek. lOl 

Early settlers ; Murders, ...-..- 103 

Supervisors, ---------- lOS 



INDEX. 



■WHEATLAND.— Land purchased in 183r>, ----- 27 

Moore's settlement; Knapp's arrival, - - -^ - - - 45 

Landpurchasesof 1834; Township organized, . - - - 4q 

Eli Eastman; Township organized; Purchases of 1835, - - - 54 

The Carmichaels; Going to mill, ------ 55 

McGee; Pease; Witherell; Town meeting; Birth; Death. - - - 103 

Marriage ; School houses ; Hard times, ----- 104 

Milling; Schools; Official register, - - - - ; - 105 

WRIGHT.— Purchases of 1835; The Comans; Ilussell Coman makes settlement, 59 

Lickley's; Conian's, - - - - - - - - -119 

Farnham ; Birth ; Sermon ; Meeting to organize ; Name ; - - - 131 

Town meeting; School; Churches; Villages; Officers, - - - 133 









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